Aussie woman's warning after horrifying find in nephew's gums
While holding her nephew, she spotted something unusual stuck near his teeth.
An Australian woman has been praised for potentially saving her nephew's life after spotting something unusual in his mouth while holding him over the weekend.
After initially believing it was a "gumball", she called over the child's mum to investigate the mysterious lump further.
"My sister felt it and realised it was rubber so she pulled at it, and this piece of the toy had broken off somehow and it suctioned to his top gums," she wrote.
Urgent warning to parents against popular toy
The rubber found inside the child's mouth was from a "pop-it fidget toy".
Users of the toy are able to pop the concave pieces inside out much like bubble wrap, with their interactive nature gaining popularity with children and parents alike, as the entertaining toy can be argued to develop early motor skills.
However, after the discovery the family are warning fellow parents and caregivers to be mindful in an announcement posted through an education organisation.
"We’re lucky it ended this way and not in him choking," she said. "We just wanted to inform others that these toys can have faulty parts as this piece must have broken off and fallen on the floor for the baby to have got to it."
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After the rubber was removed from the child's mouth, his aunt confirmed he was "fine" and the "swelling immediately went down". She suggested that all similar toys lying around other homes should be checked to ensure they are "good quality" before they are used.
"I know these toys are very popular nowadays, so sharing this story to raise awareness. This could have easily been swallowed and become a choking hazard."
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