Mom Warns Parents After Toddler Almost Chokes Eating This Common Treat

Choking is one of the leading causes of death in toddlers and a serious parenting concern. We all know that round, smooth foods like grapes, hot dogs, and carrots should be sliced before being offered to our children in order to make them easier to chew and swallow. But when it comes to a fluffy marshmallow, many of us wouldn't see their chewy texture as a safety risk. One mom from Ireland is sharing the scary story of how her daughter almost choked on the sweet treat in hopes of preventing another child from suffering the same fate — or worse.

Niamh Reid's 17-month-old daughter Doireann was enjoying a snack when the unthinkable happened. "Doireann was at her childminder's and she was given a rice krispie bun with a little marshmallow," Reid told the Independent. "But she started to choke and lost consciousness."

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It just so happened that the little girl was given the treat right before her parents were due to pick her up. When Reid and her husband David arrived, their daughter was unresponsive and turning blue. 

Reid was panicked, until Doireann coughed. "It took what felt like an eternity for the emergency services to come and just before they did she let out a cough and an almighty cry, just like she did on the day she was born," she said. "I've never been so relieved, in that moment I really didn't know what would happen."

mom and baby on swings
Niamh Reid

She wrote about the terrifying experience on Facebook in hopes of spreading awareness to other parents about the dangers of feeding marshmallows to young children. Her post was quickly shared over 4,000 times by parents who had no idea a simple squishy marshmallow could be so dangerous. 

Reid explained how cutting a marshmallow up into smaller pieces before offering it to your child might not protect them. Part of the risk comes from the ingredients and makeup of the candy itself. "The melting marshmallow begins to seep down the throat, expanding and blocking the airway making it impossible to dislodge," she explained. "Even if the marshmallow does not begin to melt, it is a very airy sweet which is easily sucked down the airway if talking or laughing while it is in the mouth."

Because the light texture of the marshmallow makes it so easy for it to be pulled back into the airway while laughing or talking, Reid cautions that even older kids and adults are at risk of choking on a marshmallow. "Our baby is 17 months old (at the time of the incident) but even for young children and adults these 'treats' are lethal," she said.

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Lucikly, Doireann made a full recovery. "After two nights in Temple Street [hospital] with the most amazing staff, Doireann is now back to being the little dictator that she is accustomed to," her mom wrote. Her scary moment is a powerful lesson for all parents. Marshmallows are delicious, but feeding them to our kids requires a little extra watching over them while they chew.