Content warning: This article contains descriptions of an injury sustained by a child, which may be distressing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

Parents and grandparents all know the joy that a simple toy can bring to a child or grandchild's life. Seeing their eyes light up with excitement and curiosity is a wonderful sight.

However, an incident involving a popular Kmart toy is a stark reminder that not all toys are as harmless as they seem.

Caitlin Elizabeth's two-year-old son was playing with his brother's Spiral Motion Bubbler ($4) toy when the toy broke after being thrown to the ground.

‘The liquid inside went everywhere, including on his foot,’ Elizabeth said.

‘It had a weird smell to it, but I just cleaned it up, and then he went for his nap.’

Elizabeth shared her and her son’s ordeal after a $4 Kmart toy broke. Credit: Caitlin Elizabeth / Kmart

However, upon waking, her son complained of pain in his foot, which had become red, inflamed, and swollen.

Initially, Elizabeth took her son to urgent care, where they were prescribed antibiotics and sent home.

But the situation quickly escalated when, after another nap, the boy's foot showed worsening blisters and redness.

It was then that the possibility of a chemical burn was considered, prompting an immediate trip to the hospital.

‘My partner had said maybe it’s a chemical burn from whatever was inside the Kmart toy, so we decided to take him straight to the hospital, where we waited for a while,’ she said.

After an agonising 11-hour wait in the emergency department, the medical staff concluded that the young boy had indeed suffered chemical burns.

‘They dressed his foot to help the burn heal, which was to stay on for seven days without getting wet,’ Elizabeth shared.

The aftermath of this ordeal was not only a physical injury to a young child but also a mother's plea to other parents to be vigilant.

Elizabeth's subsequent post on social media, complete with distressing images of her son's injured foot, served as a warning to all: 'Be safe, everyone!'

The community's response was one of shock and concern, with many urging Elizabeth to report the incident further and calls for a recall of the toy, which, despite being recommended for children over the age of three, was not safe.

‘I hope they recall it,’ one said.

‘The poor baby that looks super painful,’ a second added.

Kmart's response to the incident was prompt, with the toy being removed from their website. A spokesperson for the retailer stated that Kmart 'takes the quality and safety of all products very seriously' and that they are investigating the matter.

‘While this product complies with all required standards, we investigate any safety or quality issues that are raised with us,’ a spokesperson said.

‘We encourage any customer who experiences an issue with a product to get in touch with our customer service team to ensure that it can be investigated properly.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney mother's young son sustained chemical burns from a broken Kmart toy, resulting in an 11-hour hospital stay.
• The boy was injured by a spiral motion bubbler toy that spilled its contents upon being thrown.
• The mother took to social media to share images of her son's red and blistered foot and to caution others.
• Kmart has removed the toy from their website and is investigating the matter, reminding customers to report any issues with their products.

Have you or someone you know ever experienced a similar situation? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.

 

[Craftylady]

I think the more distressing thing here is the amount of time the hospital took to see a small child with suspected chemical burns, 11 hours is a totally disgusting time to wait. I hope he makes a full recovery .