Last year, at a nursery school in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, an 8-month-old boy choked on an apple from his school lunch and became unconscious, leading the city's verification committee to assess the risks of using apples as baby food. We submitted a report to the city stating that a lack of awareness led to the accident.

In May of last year, an 8-month-old boy choked on a small-cut apple that had been served to him during school lunch at Niihama Kabe Nozomi Nursery School in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, and the boy remains unconscious. The condition continues.

Regarding this accident, the city's verification committee made up of doctors and lawyers compiled a report on the cause and measures to prevent recurrence, and submitted it to the city on the 25th.



According to the report, after the childcare worker offered him two pieces of an apple with a spoon, the moment the boy cried and inhaled, the apples likely blocked his airway and caused him to suffocate.

At this nursery school, the national guidelines that state that apples should be served heated when used as baby food have not been widely adopted, and out of 42 times in 2020 when apples were served, they were heated only two times. about it.



In addition, during a home visit by a childcare worker the day before the accident, the boy's guardian informed him that the boy's baby food was ``eating mushy food at home,'' but this information was not conveyed to the kitchen staff. about it.



Furthermore, the school director and head childcare worker did not know how to prepare baby food, and the school director did not conduct a "food inspection" to confirm that there were no abnormalities in the baby food, indicating a lack of awareness of the risks. I think there was.



The report states that when the childcare worker called 119, the cardiac massage that was ordered by the fire department was not performed due to the confusion at the scene and the childcare worker's agitation, and as a result, the childcare worker died of suffocation. It is said that the accident was not properly handled.



In addition, as measures to prevent recurrence,

it is recommended to ensure that


information regarding baby food is shared with parents, to hold regular first aid classes, and to conduct simulation training that simulates various accidents.


Verification Committee “Don’t forget the accident and take measures to prevent recurrence”

Associate Professor Megumi Okada of Matsuyama Shinonome Junior College, who serves as the chairperson of the verification committee, said, ``We held many discussions with a strong desire to prevent similar accidents from happening again.''The city and childcare facilities are strongly encouraged to make sure that accidents are forgotten. I want them to take measures to prevent it from happening again."



In addition, Niihama City Mayor Katsuyuki Ishikawa said, ``We will take the results of this verification seriously and will proceed with training at childcare facilities and with related organizations such as fire departments to prevent similar accidents from happening again.'' I want to be thorough."

Nursery school “Thorough measures to prevent all accidents”

The Niihama Social Welfare Association, the social welfare corporation that operates the nursery school where the accident occurred, said, ``We apologize for not being able to prevent this serious accident.We have carefully reviewed the contents of the report and re-examined measures to prevent recurrence.'' We will continue to take thorough measures to prevent all kinds of accidents."

Boy's parents: “I feel a sense of regret”

Regarding the Verification Committee's report, the boy's parents said in an interview with NHK, ``I feel a sense of regret, wondering if the results would have been different if I had done cardiac massage, or if something could have been done.'' I felt that this was an accident that was bound to happen due to a problem with the entire organization of the nursery school.I would like the administration and people at childcare facilities to think about their own measures to prevent accidents like this from happening.'' We were talking.