Urgent Halloween warning to parents as popular sweet recalled over choking fears
POPULAR ‘toxic waste’ sweet have been recalled over choking fears.
The sweet’s rolling ball, which dispenses the sour liquid, could come loss and and become trapped in a child’s throat.
Candy Dynamics which manufactures the Toxic Waste Slime Lickers has recalled several different batches of of the sweet, including flavours blue razz, strawberry, black cherry and sour apple.
The alert, issued just days before sweet-filled Halloween, told parents to take the treat away from children “immediately”.
“The applicator ball can detach from the product’s container posing a choking hazard for consumers,” it explained.
The manufacturer said products with one of the following batch codes are unsafe to eat:
- 850034597201
- 898940001917
- 898940001696
The numbers can be found on the side of the bottle, along the bar code.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) which issued the alert, recalls food considered unsafe for human consumption.
It called the sweet a “choking hazard” and urged customers who had bought affected batches to “return them to the store from where they were bought to discuss options for a full refund”.
Customers will only receive refunds for sweets which have no been eaten, it added.
What to do if your child chokes
It’s a parents worst nightmare to imagine a situation in which their child is choking.
The NHS says if you can see an object lodged in your child’s mouth, take care to remove it because blindly poking at it could make things worse.
If the child is coughing, encourage them to continue as they may be able to bring the object up – don’t leave them.
If the coughing isn’t effective (it is silent or they cannot breathe properly), shout for help immediately.
If the child is still conscious, use back blows.
First aiders at St John Ambulance give the following advice based on the child’s age.
Baby
- Slap it out:
- Lay the baby face down along your thigh and support their head
- Give five back blows between their shoulder blades
- Turn them over and check their mouth each time
2. Squeeze it out:
- Turn the baby over, face upwards, supported along your thigh
- Put two fingers in the centre of their chest just below the nipple line; push downwards to give up to five sharp chest thrusts
- Check the mouth each time
3. If the item does not dislodge, call 999 or 112 for emergency help
- Take the baby with you to call
- Repeat the steps 1 and 2 until help arrives
- Start CPR if the baby becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
Child
1. Cough it out
- Encourage the casualty to keep coughing, if they can
2. Slap it out
- Lean them forwards, supporting them with one hand
- Give five sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
- Check their mouth each time but do not put your fingers in their mouth
3. Squeeze it out
- Stand behind them with your arms around their waist, with one clenched fist between their belly button and the bottom of their chest
- Grasp the fist in the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, giving up to five abdominal thrusts
- Check their mouth each time
4. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help if the object does not dislodge
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until help arrives
- Start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
Five warning signs your kid is choking
IT'S important you understand the signs and how to help your little one if they are struggling
Here are the five you should look out for:
- Unable to cough
- Completely silent, no air, no crying, no speaking
- Making desperate attempts to breathe
- Clutching at throat
- Skin changing colour
Source: Tiny Hearts