Mum's horror as baby nearly dies after tiny amount of common cold treatment
An 11-month-old baby's eyes "rolled back into her head" during a "violent seizure" after accidentally swallowing the tiniest amount of a "toxic" common cold treatment.
Mum Carly Lloyd, 38, from Sidcup, was left horrified after her daughter Poppy "barely touched the inside" of Vicks VapoRub, prompting her to "go rigid like a plank" as her head "swung from side to side."
The terrifying incident occurred on May 3 when Poppy grabbed the ointment while her mum changed her nappy. Carly quickly noticed her daughter had ingested the smallest amount of Vicks VapoRub and rushed to remove the ointment from her. She immediately wiped her mouth.
Carly told The Mirror: "We took hold of her arm, then wiped inside her mouth using a cloth to remove as much as possible and cleaned her hand. We luckily Googled and saw warnings from others on the internet to call 999 immediately."
However, within 15 minutes, Poppy started to vomit, prompting Carly to call 111. She was assured that, as she consumed only a tiny amount and no other symptoms were showing, she wouldn't need urgent treatment.
Two hours later, Poppy's condition worsened after she was "nodding violently" and "swinging her head from side to side."
Carly, who quickly called for an ambulance, was told by paramedics she did "the right thing" by giving her daughter milk, which would have "lined her stomach, throat, and mouth."
The youngster "could have died" if they hadn't seen her ingest the ointment and quickly reacted, according to the paramedics. "If we hadn't seen her grab the Vicks, she would have died. The ambulance lady came straight in and told us 'this could kill her'", Carly revealed.
She added: "We really thought it was attacking her brain. It was as though it was causing some brain damage that was getting worse and worse. She was initially doing the violent nods, then her arm went as though she had had a stroke and, her head kept shooting to the side. Soon she was going completely rigged and eyes rolling."
Carly admitted she "had no idea" how toxic the ointment was and has promised never to have it in her home following the traumatic ordeal.
Vicks VapoRub can be bought over the counter and treats a wide range of common issues, including sore throats, coughs, nasal catarrh, muscle aches, and pains. The packaging states that it can be toxic for children if swallowed in small doses, as it contains camphor. The warning label also warns that VapoRub should be kept out of children's reach.
A spokesman for the manufacturers, American-based Procter and Gamble, said: "We were really sorry to hear about this unfortunate accident and acknowledge the distress it must have caused the family. The safety and well-being of those who use our products is our utmost priority. We'd like to provide reassurance that our products are safe when used as intended.
"Our packaging clearly states that this product should be kept out of the reach of children, should not be used on children under the age of two and provides helpful guidance on what to do if the product is accidentally ingested."
The mum wanted to spread awareness on social media and inform fellow parents of the product's potential dangers for babies. Fortunately, Poppy is on the mend and has no further symptoms.
Carly took to social media to warn others of her ordeal, with many unaware of how harmful the common cold ointment could be for children.
She added: "Parents online and friends couldn't believe how dangerous this product is, and say they never knew. So many thanked me for highlighting it. Please keep it in a cupboard high up, and if you have children a little older, tell them it's very dangerous to put things in your mouth."
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