A “GUILT-stricken” mum has relived the horror of finding horrific burns on her baby’s arm after he woke up screaming in his cot.
Rosie Stewart claims her tot Amias Vitorino was screaming and crying while wearing the sleepsuit but she put it down to him simply being ‘off’.
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After tending to the 11-month-old twice throughout the night on October 5, Rosie got up with him at 5am in a desperate bid to soothe him.
It was only as she took his sleepsuit off that she noticed the sleeve sticking to his right arm.
After getting the tot’s arm free, she spotted the angry two-inch mark on his inner elbow.
On closer inspection the 31-year-old spotted a grease-like mark on the inside of his babygrow the exact same size and shape as the burn.
The mark was emitting a pungent detergent smell, which Rosie put down to a Fairy non bio pod not fully dissolving in the wash.
Horrified by her discovery, the store manager rushed him to hospital where doctors rinsed his arm to remove all traces of the chemical and monitored his vitals throughout the day.
Days later the wound finally scabbed over, leaving a red mark on his arm.
Now the mum-of-four, who said she felt guilty for not realising something was wrong sooner.
She claims she’ll no longer buy the Fairy non bio pods, for fear it could happen again.
Fairy Non-Bio’s own packaging features a glaring red ‘corrosive’ warning symbol, states to keep out of reach of children and states ‘danger: causes serious eye damage’.
Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said they were “very sorry to hear about the family’s experience” and encouraged Rosie to get in touch so they could investigate thoroughly.
Rosie, from Preston, Lancashire, said: “I picked him up from the childminders then started doing our normal night-time routine.
“I was getting him some food, bathed and ready for bed.
“I got a vest and a fresh babygrow, off the washing pile, and not thinking anything of it or noticing anything was on it put it on him.
“He normally sleeps through, he’s normally fine, but he kept waking up crying and screaming.
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“He was agitated and wouldn’t settle, I knew something was off with him but didn’t know what it was.
“I went to change his nappy and when I’ve come to take his arm out of the babygrow it was like it was almost stuck on his arm, where the mark is on his babygrow.
“It didn’t click at first that it was the babygrow until I turned it inside out, smelled it and there was a strong smell of the washing pod.
“Then I put it side by side where the mark was and it was exactly the same mark as what was imprinted onto his arm.
“That greasy-looking stain is the pod that’s not fully dissolved and then gone on his skin and burned him.
“I felt dead guilty. It’s not something you expect to see and because I left it so long and not realised, that’s why I felt guilty.”
‘Permanent scar’
Horrified at the burn on Amias’s arm, Rosie rushed him to Royal Preston Hospital’s A&E department in Preston, Lancashire.
Rosie said: “I took him to A&E because it was going redder and redder and I didn’t know what to do.
“I Googled it and things were coming up saying chemical burns can be dangerous. I panicked and just wanted to get him checked as I didn’t know how to treat it.
What to do if your child suffers a burn
If a child suffers burn or scald, you should try to cool the burn as quickly as possible before seeking medical advice.
A burn can be caused by dry heat such as contact with fire, a hot iron, or exposure to the sun.
A scald can be caused by contact with wet heat, like steam or a hot cup of tea.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Stop the burning process as soon as possible. This may mean removing the child the area, dousing flames with water, or smothering flames with a blanket. Do not put yourself at risk of getting burnt as well.
- Remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of skin, including babies’ nappies, but do not try to remove anything that’s stuck to the burnt skin, as this could cause more damage.
- Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances like butter.
- Keep yourself or the person warm. Use a blanket or layers of clothing, but avoid putting them on the injured area. Keeping warm will prevent hypothermia, where a person’s body temperature drops below 35C (95F). This is a risk if you’re cooling a large burnt area, particularly in young children and elderly people.
- Cover the burn with cling film. Lay the cling film over the burn, rather than wrapping it around a limb, as the area needs space to swell. A clean, clear plastic bag can be used for burns on your hand.
- Treat the pain from a burn with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions when using over-the-counter medication. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.
- Raise the affected area, if possible. This will help to reduce swelling.
Once you’ve done the above, assess the burn to decide if further medical treatment is necessary.
Go to A&E for:
- Large burns bigger than the size of the affected person’s hand
- Deep burns of any size that cause white or charred skin
- Burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, any joints, or genitals
- All chemical and electrical burns
- Any other injuries that need treating
- Any signs of shock – symptoms include cold, clammy skin, sweating, rapid, shallow breathing, and weakness or dizziness
If your child is under the age of 10, take them to hospital.
Source: NHS
“The doctors did a chemical rinse, that’s when they told me it was a chemical burn from the washing pod.
“They checked him every four hours. In total we were there for about 12 hours, then they bandaged it up and let us go home and told me what to do.
I’m furious it did this to him. It’s not out there enough that this could happen
Rosie
“It’s a red scar now, I think it might be permanent.”
Fairy non bio pods advertising boasts that ‘Fairy capsules provide outstanding cleaning & care for sensitive skin’.
However a warning on the back of the packaging reads: “Please note that no effective laundry detergent can be guaranteed suitable for people with serious skin conditions.
“If you suffer from unusually sensitive skin, please contact your doctor for advice.”
Rosie, who did her washing at 60 degrees, has vowed not to buy Fairy products again for fear it could happen again.
Rosie said: “I’ve bought Fairy non bio before. You pick it because it’s targeted as being for babies, that’s what’s said is best.
“I’m furious it did this to him. It’s not out there enough that this could happen.
“It says from 20 degrees they should dissolve, but when you speak to other mums it’s known they don’t dissolve properly.
“My mother-in-law has written a letter and email to Fairy, we’ve not heard anything back yet.
“I’d definitely not buy these again, I’m totally put off.”
‘Very sorry’
Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said that their pods are safely used in millions of homes every day and they comply with all UK regulations including safety and ingredients.
They pointed out that the dissolution of any laundry product can vary depending on how they are used.
These include: pod placement (the pod should always be placed at the bottom of an empty drum, before laundry is added) volume load and setting.
Their on-pack instructions give consumers the information needed to ensure full dissolution.
A spokesman for Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said: “We are very sorry to hear about the family’s experience.
“We care deeply about those who use our products, in fact nothing is more important to us than their safety and wellbeing.
“Given we have no record of contact regarding this incident, we would encourage the family to call us directly using the freephone details on pack so we can better understand the situation and investigate accordingly.”
Are laundry capsules dangerous?
Liquid laundry are safe when used as intended and as specified on the product packaging.
As with any other detergent, it’s important to store them in a safe place before and after use.
Make sure the bag or box is fully sealed and always keep them out of reach of children and vulnerable people.
If your child accidentally ingests a capsule, seek medical advice immediately.
If any of the product gets into someone’s eyes, rinse thoroughly with water.
Source: UK Cleaning Products Industry Association
