30 Oct 2019

Choking-hazard foods could be banned at early childhood centres

From Morning Report, 8:25 am on 30 October 2019

The Education Ministry is considering making centres follow Health Ministry guidelines to reduce the risk of under-fives choking at childhood centres.

The Ministry says there have been seven cases of choking reported to it since 2016, and in 2016 a 22-month old child suffered severe brain damage after choking on an apple.

The guidelines say centres should exclude some foods and others should be cut up or cooked to make them safer.

Susie Ferguson speaks to Sarah Alexander, a senior researcher from ChildForum.