NZ toddler left paralysed after choking on apple

A New Zealand toddler has been left paralysed after choking on an apple given to him at daycare.

Neihana Renata was 22-months old when a piece of apple became lodged in his throat at lunchtime in May, 2016.

Daycare supervisors tried to remove the piece of fruit from his airway and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, however Neihana went into cardiac arrest for 30 minutes and his brain was deprived of oxygen.

He spent two weeks in intensive care and a month in hospital before his family was able to take him home.

However their little boy has been forever changed. He has been left with hypoxic brain injury and severe cerebral palsy.

Mum Marama Renata says her son requires round-the-clock care.

"He has made a lot of progress since the accident and is a generally smiley boy but he is severely disabled and cant walk, talk, roll," she tells 9Honey.

"A lot of effort is put into maintaining normal body alignment and muscle length," she explains.

"But we are working on his head and trunk control, his eye movement, and his communication."

Marama says while caring for her son is "constant", she is "grateful when he does make progress".

Marama says the family isn't calling for foods to be banned, but for foods in the high risk of choking group to be prepared in accordance with the NZ Ministry of Health guidelines.

"Also I have only heard anecdotally that childcare centres are this week looking at their food prep," she says.

Stuff NZ reports that following the incident, the company that owns the daycare centre, the Evolve Group, has changed its food policy to keep hard fruits and vegetables away from children under three, unless they are cooked, mashed and peeled.

Marama says the company never formally contacted them after the accident or let them know about the change.

"The main reason we have gone public with this now is because of a lack of response from our Ministry of Education," she says.

"They have not done their own report, not told anyone to follow the food recommendations and refused to acknowledge shortcomings and that improvements can be made."

For more information on food guidelines for babies and toddlers, visit the Department of Health website.

For information on how to assist a baby or toddler who is choking, download the St John Ambulance FACT SHEET.