The terrifying reason mum is calling on lollipops to be banned this Halloween
A mum whose daughter nearly choked to death when a lollipop became lodged in her throat is calling for the sweets to be banned from shelves this Halloween.
Shannon Mcwilliam, 24, was left in tears as she frantically tried to dislodge the fruity blackcurrant lolly from three-year-old daughter Ariah’s throat as the youngster choked, turned purple, and lay on the ground shaking for three minutes.
The petrified mum-of-two, from the Scotland town of Dumfries, pounded Ariah’s back before the youngster was rushed to hospital and spent 24 hours needing round-the-clock care.
Ariah and her sister, six-year-old India, had been enjoying the lollipops while watching TV last month when their afternoon quickly turned into a hellish nightmare.
Ms Mcwilliam claims the Swizzels lollipops, found in Halloween-themed ‘Trick or Sweet’ packets, are dangerous for children as they don’t have a hole going through it to allow for airflow – and is now calling for them to no longer be sold.
“It was the worst night of my life, I’ve never experienced anything like that. I was living a nightmare.
“Ariah suddenly flung herself onto the floor holding her neck. Her back was arched back, and she was shaking and moving up and down,” the mother said.
She claims the lolly slipped off the stick without any biting or pulling and it was still roughly its original size.
“She was crying trying to scream for help but nothing came out. I didn’t think I was going to get her free, I felt like I was trying for ages, but nothing was working.”
Ms Mcwilliam tried to stay calm to not scare her shaken girls but couldn’t contain her tears when Ariah’s face turned a pale purple.
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“When I saw her colour transform like that, I thought I was running out of time, I felt like I was going to lose her.
“It took three minutes before it came loose, but it felt like a lifetime. I thought time stood still.
“It felt like she was lying there so lifeless, and I didn’t think she was going to make it. I thought she was going to die.
Ariah was then rushed to hospital where she was put on 24-hour care.
The choking incident traumatised three-year-old Ariah
Ariah has now started experiencing night terrors every night for two weeks and is too scared to eat lollipops, her mother said.
“Ariah had night terrors that lasted a couple weeks, she’d wake up crying and was a mess.
“She’s come away from it traumatised, and it’s obviously still on the back of her mind.
“I think she understands how dangerous it was, and it’s very upsetting to see how she’s been since,” Ms Mcwilliam said.
Mother’s call to ban lollipops
Ms Mcwilliam claims lollipops that don’t have a hole going through the sweet to allow for airflow are “potential killers” that shouldn’t be sold on shelves when they can harm children.
“I work in a restaurant and each child is meant to receive a lolly after their meal, but I refuse now, if anything I’ll give them a pack of sweets, but I refuse to give them a lollipop,” the waitress said.
“I want to get it out there that lollipops are dangerous, and anything can happen if you’re looking away for just a couple minutes.”
Since sharing Ariah’s terrifying experience with others, Ms Mcwilliam has heard stories from other parents who said their child actually died after choking on lollies.
“People don’t go as far as thinking these lollies can kill you, and they can. And it’s not something you ever hear about. If I’d gone to the kitchen to check our dinner, my daughter might not be here today, she said.
“No parent should have to go through nearly losing their child because of something as innocent as a lollipop.”
With Halloween upon us, Ms Mcwilliam is warning parents to be more alert about the potential dangers of lollipops.
Safety recall: Metal found in Australian lollipops
The warning comes as lollipops sold at Australian Priceline stores are being recalled after metal was found inside the candy.
Park Avenue Foods is carrying out a recall of My Little Pony and Avengers Giant Pops, which weigh 180 grams, after the contamination was discovered.
According to the Food Standards Australia website, the products have been available for sale at Priceline stores around the country.
– MPM/Caters
