Mum's warning to parents after toddler suffers horrific injuries from washing machine
By Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh |
Warning: Graphic photos
A? distressed mum has taken to Facebook to warn parents to keep their children away from washing machines after her son was covered in cuts after a freak home accident.
Tory Johnston from the UK had to rush her 14-month-old son, Marley. to the hospital for surgery on lacerations he had all over his face after the glass from the washing machine door shattered all over him.
"This could have killed my precious baby," the mum wrote online.
"Please please please keep your children away from washing machines," she pleaded on her Facebook page where she shared photos of the ordeal in order to warn other parents.
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Johnston says she was at home ?cooking dinner one night while Markley was sitting in front of the washing machine, "watching it go round like he always does".
All of a sudden she "heard a bang" and quickly turned towards him to see what had happened.
"I watched the glass shatter all over my baby's face and hands. His lacerations are so bad that he is being taken to surgery," she wrote in the post which she put up soon after the accident.
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In the photos, you can see the glass washing machine door had shattered completely, and large shards were scatted all over the laundry floor.
Marley ?had been cut in multiple places across his face and hands and had blood all over his head.
The mum made sure to take photos of the incident to be able to share them with other parents who may not recognise the danger.
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"Please keep your little ones away from the front of your machines. This could have killed my precious baby. Please share far and wide," she pleaded on her post.
The post has now been shared over 33,000 times by others who want to spread the word about the incident.
Many people thanked the mum for sharing the message and to wish little Marley a quick recovery
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"Tory, this is awful. Just seeing your son's face and body. I really hope he recovers ok," one woman wrote. Another said, "Hope your baby is ok. That's horrible."
A fellow mum shared photos of the same incident occurring ?in her laundry though luckily her daughter was nowhere near the machine, "My little girl had just moved out the way of it."
A few hours after posting Johnson updated concerned followers with a post to say Marley was being a 'trooper' in hospital.
"Thank you so much for everyone's lovely comments and shares. I appreciate every single one of you!" She accompanied it with a photo of her son resting on the hospital bed.
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While washing machines don't seem to be an obvious danger to children, a 2003 study in the US did? find the appliance can cause harm.
"Washing machine-related injuries accounted for approximately 2388 emergency room visits and 128 hospital admissions per year."
The study noted that: "Though most injuries associated with washing machines are minor, some are severe and devastating."
Laundry and washing machine safety
According to Jason Chambers, Kidsafe Victoria General Manager, the laundry is an area of the home that can contain 'a number of potential injury hazards' for children.
He shared the following tips with 9Honey to help keep children safe around washing machines:
- Make sure the doors of front-loading washing machines and dryers are closed when not in use to prevent young children climbing inside.
- Store all detergents, cleaners and other potentially poisonous items in a locked cupboard, up high out of the sight and reach of children.
- Empty sinks and buckets immediately after use and store plugs out of reach, to help prevent drowning.
- Regularly clean the lint filter on your drier to help prevent fires.
- Turn the machine off at the wall when not in use.
He also said the incident highlighted the importance of first aid.
"Incidents such as these can be extremely frightening for a parent or carer," he told 9Honey.
"Undertaking a first aid course will help to ensure that you are equipped with the skills and knowledge to be able to assist if an emergency does arise."
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