One-year old’s feet are badly burned after they are trapped between the treadmill belt and the base.
Recently we came across this story on CPR Kids’ Facebook page, and it’s worth sharing to highlight the risks posed by exercise equipment in the home if it is not supervised, and the potentially dangerous consequences.
“Meet Daisy, a happy little girl with an inquisitive mind.”
Bianca was in the garage folding clothes while her three-year-old son, Eddie and one-year-old daughter Daisy, played. The family had a few toys stored in the garage, along with the treadmill, which they had unplugged so it couldn’t be turned on.
While Bianca’s back was turned, her son managed to plug the treadmill back in with her daughter’s feet stuck next to the conveyor belt.
“My one-year-old had sat down and put her feet in the end of the treadmill,” Bianca explained.
“I assume she didn’t mean to get so close and was watching big brother as always. Sadly the treadmill started running as soon as it was plugged back in, her feet were pulled into the treadmill and they became jammed between the base and conveyor belt.”
“I heard the scream no parent likes hearing, which automatically told me something serious was wrong and she was scared or in pain. I ran over and managed to free her feet with some force.”
In the next moments, Bianca had to calm Daisy down while also attending to the injuries to her feet which had been caused by the friction from the treadmill’s conveyor belt.
“I scooped her up and was panicking but assuring her it was OK and she was OK, meanwhile trying to look at her feet without causing too much chaos as she was distraught,” Bianca recalled.
“I called my sister in law who is a nurse, as I wasn’t sure how to treat it, being a friction burn.”
Following the phone call, Bianca immediately took Daisy to the local GP for treatment, as the GP clinic was closer than a hospital.
“Her feet didn’t look too bad as her skin looked very white initially, but once air got to it, it worsened. The nurses were able to help us,” she said.
Bianca realises that things could have been a lot worse. Her message to other parents is that a split second is all it takes for something to go wrong, so it’s best to keep fitness items such as treadmills completely out of reach of children.
“Please have treadmills stored away as even with supervision, things can turn bad, quickly.”
Thankfully Daisy’s burns are healing – she will have to have treatment for the next few months, but she is returning back to her normal, happy self.
“She sees her siblings having a bath and is so desperate to get in but that will have to wait. She was lucky it wasn’t so much worse” shared Bianca with relief.
The first aid treatment for friction burns is the same as for other burns. Run the affected area under cool running water for 20 minutes and seek medical assistance.
Do not apply ice, oil or creams as they can make the burn worse.”
For chemical burns, electrical burns, deep burns and burns that cause charred skin you should always go to A&E.
If you’re unsure you can always call 111.
