It’s the Easter treat that’s usually sitting front and centre at the supermarket register – a cute, kid-sized box of mini eggs. But a paediatrician has revealed the deadly reason why these tasty eggs have to be kept away from toddlers.

Dr Niamh Lynch, a Consultant Paediatrician in neurology, shared an educational video on TikTok, revealing just how dangerous mini eggs can be for toddlers.

“These things are delicious,” Dr Lynch says. “They’re also rock hard and they can completely block your toddler’s airway. And here’s why. Your toddler’s airway, their trachea, is about four millimetres in diameter. And if you look at the size and shape of a mini egg, you can see it is the perfect size and shape to completely block you child’s airway.”

@tiktokkiddydoc Mini eggs are a choke hazard #minieggs #easter #eastereggs #chokehazard #chokinghazard #safety #baby #babies #toddler #baking #parents #parentsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Dr Niamh Lynch

Dr Lynch demonstrates just how easily the rock-hard mini eggs can block the airways of small children, with deadly consequences.

“These things are a major chocking hazard. And we’re really careful with grapes and cherry tomatoes and we cut them up small but these things are so cute and so delicious and we get so excited about them that we sometimes forget that they can be deadly.”

Dr Lynch recommends not giving mini eggs to children under the age of five.