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Original poster

Toddler given marshmallows at nursery

194 replies

ginonthebus · 15/12/2023 23:21

DS (18 months) has returned from nursery this evening with a cake he's 'made'. Was slightly concerned to see that it's decorated with a full size marshmallow on top. His nursery are usually brilliant with safety etc, but aren't these a major choking hazard? Can't tell if I'm being a bit PFB about this or if it's worth saying something to nursery. DH thinks we'll be 'those parents' if we do...

OP posts:
strawberrysea · 16/12/2023 05:32

I wouldn't mention it.

It was made at nursery to be consumed at home so it's up to you what you do with it.

There are many choking hazards at nursery - legos, sand and realistically any food is a choking hazard.

HoppingPavlova · 16/12/2023 05:41

I know of a former colleague's daughter who died choking on a marshmallow, and she was an adult. It was one of the large ones designed for toasting on a fire. I haven't eaten a large marshmallow since, only the small ones you have on hot chocolate. There's no way my DS will be having one until he is old enough to understand the risks

Good god. I understand not giving them to kids but to make out they are akin to dynamite for adults also and we all need to understand the risks of eating them as adults 🤷‍♀️. Do you ever walk down a footpath, ride in a car as passenger or driver. Guarantee more adults die every year due to these activities than eating marshmallows. Actually more adults would die in a decade from train crashes/derailments than eating marshmallows. How likely are you to inform your DS of these risks when he is older so he can decide if he’d like to undertake a train ride? Madness.

SweetFemaleAttitude · 16/12/2023 05:50

I know of a former colleague's daughter who died choking on a marshmallow, and she was an adult. It was one of the large ones designed for toasting on a fire. I haven't eaten a large marshmallow since

Sorry, but this sounds absolutely ridiculous.

I know someone who was in a plane accident who died. I haven't got on a plane since.

I know someone who died in a car accident. I've never got in a car since.

I know someone who fell off a ladder and died. I've never got in a ladder since.

I know someone who tripped over a piece of Lego and died. I've never bought Lego since.

You get the picture.

Choking on a marshmallow and dying, as an adult, is an absolute freak accident.

This thread is bonkers.

Just don't give the cake to your kid FFS.

Gumbo · 16/12/2023 06:06

I can understand all these people baffled and sceptical about marshmallows being dangerous... I would have been too (if it had ever even crossed my mind), until I very nearly died from choking on one. It completely blocked my airway, I was given the heimlich multiple times which didn't work, and I lost consciousness. I obviously have no memory after that, but I wasn't breathing for nearly 4 minutes while an incredible man had his arm down my throat wrestling with the obstruction, which he dislodged somehow. If I'd had to wait for an ambulance I'd have died.

I gave my DC marshmallows before that, but now nobody in the household will touch the things, and I definitely wouldn't give them to a child (unless chopped into tiny pieces, and even then only 1 at a time...)

So in answer to your question, I think I'd mention the choking power to the nursery in case they aren't aware.

Ilovegoldies · 16/12/2023 06:11

Wow, some of the replies on here. I'd be cross too. They are dangerous. A woman recently died near me choking on them.
All of you saying 'take it off' they absolutely should not be given to toddlers.

Whatsinthebag2 · 16/12/2023 06:14

I think it's likely the children ate marshmallows when making them. Many people think marshmallows are safe foods for little children and they are not. I wouldn't be very pleased.

HouseChainDrama · 16/12/2023 06:15

I'm pretty chilled but wouldn't be happy with this, as I have a friend who's wife died playing the eating marshmallows game on a hen do,

Leafysuburb · 16/12/2023 06:16

I didn't realise how prolific marshmallow eating was.

Hattie89 · 16/12/2023 06:25

SweetFemaleAttitude · 16/12/2023 05:50

I know of a former colleague's daughter who died choking on a marshmallow, and she was an adult. It was one of the large ones designed for toasting on a fire. I haven't eaten a large marshmallow since

Sorry, but this sounds absolutely ridiculous.

I know someone who was in a plane accident who died. I haven't got on a plane since.

I know someone who died in a car accident. I've never got in a car since.

I know someone who fell off a ladder and died. I've never got in a ladder since.

I know someone who tripped over a piece of Lego and died. I've never bought Lego since.

You get the picture.

Choking on a marshmallow and dying, as an adult, is an absolute freak accident.

This thread is bonkers.

Just don't give the cake to your kid FFS.

Tbf, driving is pretty essential. So might flying be if it’s for work or to visit family. Marshmallows are horrible. I wouldn’t be bothered if I ever ate one ever again.

They aren’t remotely comparable.

BladeOfMiquella · 16/12/2023 06:39

I wasn’t aware of this, so I think you should raise your concerns with the nursery. They are presumably also not aware.

People saying it’s up to you as a parent whether you let them eat it is true but what about all the parents who are also not aware?

Just because only a very small number of children die from choking each year doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything possible to mitigate that risk.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 16/12/2023 06:57

I never realised they were so dangerous so thanks for the post. Probably good to make them aware as they could be letting them eat them.

MsSquiz · 16/12/2023 07:04

They're only a choking hazard if you allow your child to eat them...

Your child didn't eat it, he brought it home.

Cas112 · 16/12/2023 07:06

I'm glad I've read this post as I wasn't aware they was as dangerous as they are

PastelHouses · 16/12/2023 07:15

This reply has been deleted

This is a goady troll so we've removed their posts.

fuckssaaaaake · 16/12/2023 07:16

Leafysuburb · 16/12/2023 06:16

I didn't realise how prolific marshmallow eating was.

Same 🙃

Mummyboy1 · 16/12/2023 07:21

He most likely wouldn't have been given them at nursery, they would have sent home it would then be for you to choose whether to give it to them.

Margo34 · 16/12/2023 07:21

My DCs nursery provided party food including large marshmallows at a 'moving on up' transition party from toddler room to preschool. My DC was 20m at the time. I was surprised to see them! I didn't let my DC have one though as fortunately I was there to supervise and did raise my concerns with the nursery manager (this was Summer last year).

This year, in the pre-school a couple of weeks ago, DC was directly offered mini marshmallows from a bowl at the door! Apparently they'd all had hot chocolate smothered in cream and marshmallows! I still hadn't let my now 3yo have any marshmallows of any size due to the choking risk. They're also supposed to be a healthy nursery! So I raised it again with the manager and told them choking risk and we don't eat them at home - managers response was "oh no I wouldn't give them to mine, either" so I left absolutely baffled why they'd give them to other people's kids in their care.

Still glad I said something.

Charlieradioalphapapa · 16/12/2023 07:22

YANBU.

And no this thread isn’t bonkers. For the reason that not everyone knows that these are a hazard.
Show nursery the EY guidance.

They expand to form a bung which seals the airway and they don’t dissolve quickly. In the time it can take to get to one that’s no longer easily extractable, a child can die. Or end up with enough oxygen deprivation to cause brain damage.

At best there’s likely to be a tantrum when a tired, pre-Christmas hyped toddler has the blessed thing taken off his bun or sees it chopped into small pieces. At worst they can be lethal. It’s not good practice for nurseries to be using these as decoration.

Blondeshavemorefun · 16/12/2023 07:25

As many have said they are a Choking hazard

But so are grapes

Does the nursery give grapes

Hopefully if they do they are cut up

Yes I would mention it in an email so have a paper trail and see what their reply is

But

They made it at school and will be eating it under you, the parent supervision

SarcasmAndCoffee · 16/12/2023 07:30

Nicesalad · 15/12/2023 23:30

They are difficult to chew for toddlers, too big in their mouths, they don't always have the skills to know how to chew them properly,vthey are they right size to get stuck in the windpipe.

Show quote history

They can be aspirated aswell and cause life changing issues.

same with grapes and nuts and popcorn

AegonT · 16/12/2023 07:33

As grown adults have choked on marshmallows and died it would annoy me and I would say something. They are difficult to chew and grow in a windpipe. I have only recently let my 8 year old eat full size raw marshmallows - she could have them toasted or little ones earlier.

RaininSummer · 16/12/2023 07:33

I don't know this. Partly because I am vegetarian so tend to avoid them anyway. Glad I know now though. It's obvious when you think about it but generally we don't think about such things.

No idea what's wrong with the mind of the ridiculous Toot poster above. Maybe they own shares in a marshmallow factory .

gotomomo · 16/12/2023 07:52

Wouldn't you just cut it up?

I wouldn't give my kids such junk at that age (weren't at nursery) but once older they had them. Grapes are interesting because my kids were given whole ones but taught to bite into them just as I do (remember there were pips when I was young) and just back from holidays, the little ones were all biting into whole grapes which had pips.

As for choking, you can potentially choke on anything so unless you have a liquid diet straight into stomach ... there's a risk! (And there's risks with liquid diets too).

Chewing properly, biting into things first and not walking around eating all mitigate the tiny risk.

WillowTit · 16/12/2023 07:52

surely its the large ones that are dangerous, not the small ones?

Peablockfeathers · 16/12/2023 07:53

I'd be annoyed too, there's no need for bakes to include marshmallows. I think lots are being purposefully disingenuous by suggesting the nursery knows they're not advised for under 5s as they're a hazard but sent them home for parents to eat. Lots of adults don't know they're unsafe as demonstrated by this thread, so an early years setting sending them home will suggest to those who don't know that they're fine.

Also hate the well everything is risk brigade, well yes but some foods more so than others; marshmallows are hard to chew, and if swallowed whole or even a big chunk it can expand in the windpipe when mixed with saliva. They're a nightmare to dislodge, thankfully it's not like thousands of children die from it, but that's partly because plenty of people are aware.

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