Mums, try as you might to keep your child from holding on to sharp objects, your ever curious toddler still has no concept of how simple objects can be safety hazards. Take, for instance, Wren Bowell who accidentally stabbed herself in the eye with a pencil.
Toddler’s eye stabbed by pencil that jams itself into her brain
According to a post shared by Medicare Video, which has since gone viral, the two-year-old was happily drawing in her room before running to her parents to show off her creation.
This is when she tripped on a stair gate while holding a pencil. As confirmed by an X-ray (photos above), the sharpened pencil stabbed her in the eye and then penetrated all the way into 1 1/2 inches of the front of her brain.
Toddler’s eye stabbed by pencil in freak accident: The pencil pierced through the toddler’s eye and lodged itself into her brain, just missing vital arteries. | Images from: Medicare Video
Toddler’s eye stabbed, but she miraculously survives!
After an operation which lasted for four hours, doctors happily reported that the toddler made it through the frightening accident.
Fortunately, the sharp pencil missed her eye ball and other major blood vessels by a mere millimetre! Doctors were amazed that the pencil merely passed between the eyeball and the socket.
Had this not been the case, then the toddler’s eye could have bled severely or become infected. Worse, the accident could have left her permanently disabled.
Good thing the toddler’s mum, who is a nurse, kept calm, knowing better than to try to get the pencil out before help arrived.
Pulling the pencil out could have worsened the situation by causing heavy bleeding or further injuring the eye.
What this incident can teach parents about safety during play
No parent ever wants to see their child in any pain, so it’s best to be extra vigilant. This applies to hazards in the home, and even to seemingly harmless objects used for play and amusement.
Even objects used for play can be safety hazards. Be careful, mums and dads!
Active supervision is key! Here are important safety tips to remember.
- When your toddler is playing with pens or pencils, make sure to keep an eye on them. Even child-friendly drawing tools can cause injury.
- Make sure to childproof your child’s play area, ensuring that only age-appropriate toys are within reach. If you have kids of varying ages, supervise them during play.
- Make sure to supervise kids during playdates. Some kids can tend to play too roughly with others.
- When outdoors, make sure they wear the proper gear, as well as sunscreen.
- Keep loose drawstrings or scarves away from kids. These can be strangulation hazards.
- If they are playing sports or swimming, make sure they stretch properly and warm up before starting.
- When in a playground, make sure to keep kids under five years old away from bigger kids.
- Check the area for potential safety hazards, such as rusty equipment or sharp edges.
- Always check your home or your child’s play area for objects that could be choking, strangulation, or even electrocution hazards. Sometimes dangers can hide in plain sight!
Sources: National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Healthline, Medicare Video, Safe Kids Worldwide
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