The Early Years inspection guides information sheet from Ofsted (June 2011) states the following...

Following a recent inquest into the death of a child in a nursery, we were asked by the coroner involved to make inspectors and providers aware of two issues.

The issues stem from the risk to young children of choking on very small food particles, for example food items such as a piece of sausage.

Sadly, some time ago a young child choked on a small piece of sausage and despite the best efforts of the staff who tried to dislodge it and subsequently of medical staff, the child died.

At the inquest, it was identified that the first aid training for nursery staff may not sufficiently equip them to be able to dislodge small items of food from the throats of young children, particularly when firm tummy thrusts are required.

The death of this child was the result of a small piece of sausage creating a `perfect plug’ in the child’s throat. Although the risk of this occurring is slight, it can be further reduced by ensuring that food such as sausage is cut lengthways rather than in a manner which creates a small, round item of food.

Please make the necessary changes to your risk assessments to show you have read, reflected on and reviewed your procedures as a result of the above information.

:D

Thank you sarah will do

I will thank you :D


Did i every mention how small i cut up all children's food ? You would need a magnifying glass to see them.:blush: :D its up to parent how big they want to leave theirs:D

Thanks. I have seen the same thing written about bananas being sliced the same way for the very same reason.

Thank you for that information Sarah.

I do tend to cut sausages lengthways and give it as finger food....never thought about the way you cut food could result in a death :panic:

I always cut grapes and cherry tomatoes as I think these could be a choking hazzard, will be more aware in the future.

Karen

Thank you, I'd not have thought of that.

My first aider said the same about grapes - cut them into quarters, not halve them, as halved they still have the same diameter.

Poor child. And poor nursery staff.

I think carrots are the worst:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Yes I thought later about grapes, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bananas anything circular really :D

the childrens center gave us this to read and it was email to me by my cmdo but i didnt realise that i would need to up date this info into my risk assessment.

I have one for the kitchen but i dont have anything like this on it, i take it i would just add in about cutting up childrens food in a certain way?

i remember my firstaid instructer saying hotdogs were the worst culprit of choking hazards thought it was strange at the time but its obviously true

I think most of the food we give to kids are dangerous and i dont think about it just serve :eek:

the childrens center gave us this to read and it was email to me by my cmdo but i didnt realise that i would need to up date this info into my risk assessment.

I have one for the kitchen but i dont have anything like this on it, i take it i would just add in about cutting up childrens food in a certain way?

Any information like this can feed into risk assessments and show that you are continually reviewing and improving the ways you work.

The same document (you can get it on the Ofsted website) also has some updated info about cot death which is worth a note next time you review your sleeping baby risk assessment.

You can then note in your SEF that you have updated your practices following advice from Ofsted... you might even say how you shared it with parents in your next newsletter to show working in partnership.

:D

I read this today too - yet another thing to do!

Miffy xx

thanks Sarah :)

As most food we give the children could be a choke hazzard and indeedas are a lot of toys used by older children, not to mention all the natural things outside - our risk assessment will need to be very long and very detailed as each child would have a different 'plug' size (so to speak)

Therefore do we not just need to note that we are aware of the choking risks of food items etc, maintain our first aid certificate and provide appropriate supervisson.

I am not making light of the choking risk as i had a mindee who managed to coke (as in was blue) on a marble he found at a friends we were visiting and a DD who also choked (and was blue)on a felt pen top backin the days before ventilated tops - hasten to add both objects were dislodged and both children fine.

It is just that if we wrote every risk down - we would never complete the task!

Penny :)

hi sarah thanks hun,

we got the same ofsted doc. sent by email from our DO..
feel for the staff at the nursery and the parents of course, so sad x

As it's Child Safety Week we are watching Hoof and Safety on Cbeebies.Nuzzle and Scratch.
They have included a bit on choking, with a lot of reference to cutting up food ( especially SAUSAGES) and chewing!!
Carol xx

Please could you do a link to the information on Ofsted website Sarah,
I can't find it :blush:
Thank you
Carol xx

Here you go, scroll down to B1
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Newsletters/Back-issues/Early-years/Early-years-June-2011

My Cousin Choked on a sausage. it was a trebble time.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2006/07/28/toddler-choked-to-death-inquest-97319-17465712/

Here you go, scroll down to B1
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Newsletters/Back-issues/Early-years/Early-years-June-2011

Thank you Cherry
Carol xx

My Cousin Choked on a sausage. it was a trebble time.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2006/07/28/toddler-choked-to-death-inquest-97319-17465712/

This is terrible, so sorry to hear.
Carol xx

thank you sarah, i added "choking on food" to my general house RA with the above info in the description. I have a running RA that i add to as i think of things and then i transfer that to a singular RA if i think it needs an in depth evaluation.
As others have mentioned, i think its best do do this with all foodstuffs where possible...

scary!

how awful for everyone concerned!

Thankyou I have added this to my risk assessment xx

thanks sarah:)

thanks Sarah :( so sad

where is the cot death one???

thanks!

where is the cot death one???

thanks!

Here :D

http://ofstednews.ofsted.gov.uk/article/527

Thank you so much ladies!

I dont know about you but could you be in the room where the cot is when the baby is sleeping if you have other children?, my cots in the next room.

I'm never in the same room when baby is napping.....he is in the cot upstairs...I have 2 other children to watch and it wouldn't be practical