For kids, bath time is often a time for fun and play, and the more toys, the better. However, one Illinois mom wants to raise awareness about the potential dangers of seemingly harmless bath toys. Eden Strong recounts a terrifying experience when her 2-year-old son, Baylor, suffered a severe eye injury that nearly cost him his sight.
It started innocently enough, with Baylor seemingly getting water in his eye. But after his bath, his eye became increasingly irritated and infected. In just 12 hours, his eye went from pink to severely infected, with his eye protruding from his face. The terrified mom rushed him to a larger hospital, fearing the worst.
Thankfully, Baylor eventually recovered, but not without enduring a week of severe cellulitis, a serious bacterial infection that spread down his face and affected both eyes. There was a real risk of losing his vision in the worst eye, but luckily, Baylor’s eyes healed.
The culprit behind this horrifying ordeal? A squirting bath toy. It turns out that these types of toys can trap water and promote bacterial growth that is difficult to stop. Eden took to Facebook to share her son’s injuries and caution other parents about the potential dangers.
Since her post went viral, with over 192,000 shares, other parents have come forward with similar stories of their children experiencing similar issues. Eden hopes that manufacturers will consider this issue when producing bath toys. As for her, she made the tough decision to throw away all of Baylor’s squeezable toys, recognizing that their cuteness, affordability, and ease of use are not worth the potential risks they pose.
This family’s frightening experience serves as a reminder to all parents to be aware of the toys they provide during bath time. It’s essential to ensure that these toys are safe, easy to clean, and do not promote bacterial growth. Let’s spread the word and help protect our little ones from preventable accidents.
