La Condessa Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Long ago, I once read a parenting book that said if the baby is crying nonstop and you can't figure out why, check fingers and toes for a hair that could be cutting off circulation. What they failed to mention is that they won't necessarily be crying nonstop, they may just be inordinately fussy off and on all day--and that this can actually take their toe off!!! My two-month-old son was life flighted to the children's hospital in Portland on Sunday night because a hair formed a tourniquet on his toe and then cut deeper and deeper as the toe swelled larger and larger. It cut almost down to the bone before we discovered it, and the emergency room doctors at the local hospital thought that it would have to be amputated, but thankfully that wasn't necessary! All of this happened between 6:30 am when I gave him a bath and put socks on him and 9:00 pm at night when dh went to change his clothes and pulled the sock off. I kept thinking that something I'd eaten must be upsetting his stomach; he was very fussy off and on, but not screaming in pain. Now I just feel like I need to tell every mom I meet so that others will know to watch out for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow! I'm so so glad he's ok! Can I add--I've heard of this happening to the penis on baby boys. So check that too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1GirlTwinBoys Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh my goodness! I've never heard of this before. So glad your baby is alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 How scary. I'm so glad that it had a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I've heard of threads on socks doing this but not hairs. Poor you and baby. Luckily with the penis it is checked more often! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh how scary! So glad he is OK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh, wow! So glad your baby is ok! It's crazy to think that a *hair* can do that kind of damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 How awful. I'm so sorry this happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow- never would have considered that. Glad your baby is ok- that must have been really scary! Thanks for the PSA- I'll pass it on to dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 A hair?? His hair, your hair, a long dog hair? How scary! Hope all will be well soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh goodness, poor baby! So glad he is okay! I have heard of this happening, and with my insanely long hair, it is something I keep an eye on. It's definitely easy to see how it could happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I read this when I was pregnant with my first. I have long, full, sheddy hair. I have always been a little paranoid about this. I am so sorry you and your baby are going through this. Fast healing to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 How scary! I'm glad that your baby's toe was saved. What a trooper, though! He must have a really high tolerance for pain. I knew to check for hairs, but I had no idea it could get so serious so fast. Such a nightmare. Would you consider changing your thread title to more descriptive so it attracts more attention? I don't think many people know that it can get so serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Poor guy. I'm so glad you told us about this, I've never thought about a hair doing that much damage. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Hair is actually extraordinarily strong in the right circumstance. I've had it happen too. My first was about 6 months and I found it tangled around a blue finger. Very scary. We didn't need to go to the hospital but I suspect it had been there about 3 hours, she had been napping in her stroller like they do when they're teething, grizzling and wriggling in their sleep. I only found it after she woke up, she must have gotten it wrapped while feeding before said nap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 oh my word, that is so scary. Did it not bleed as it was cutting into the toe if it was nearly at the bone? I am so glad that they did not have to amputate the toe and that he will be okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Poor baby—and poor mama! :grouphug: I'm glad they could save the toe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Hugs... I am so sorry and glad they didn't have to amputate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow, I'd never heard of that. My BIL/SIL just had a baby so I'll pass this info on to them. I'm sorry you had to go through this but very thankful you are sharing your experience to help others. Hope your son has a fast and uneventful recovery. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 so scary! We had this happen to my son's penis..it was a dog hair. No idea how it got in the diaper! Luckily I had changed him just recently, so it was swollen, but not damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I'm so sorry! I've had this happen with a toddler I worked with in a daycare. Crazy how fast bad things happen. I'm so sorry, and I'm so glad you found our and were able to get him help :-) hugs momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 So glad your baby is going to o.k. We had this happen with my youngest. Our ped recommended washing all pj's and other outfits that have "feet" built in, inside-out, also socks. It was my older daughter's long hair that got caught inside a sleeper that caused our problem. No lasting effects but very scary. Same here, just a fussy baby for a half of a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 This can happen with a boy's penis as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I'm so glad there is a happy ending!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow, how horrible! I'm so glad your baby is going to be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 So scary! Glad everything is okay! (Hugs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh my! How scary! I'm so glad he's okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow, thanks for the warning. I have a tiny baby too, and have never even heard of this. How scary. Glad your little one is going to be okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 Thanks, everyone. We just got home last night and I'm still feeling a little shell shocked by the experience, but very, very grateful that we are all home, safe and well. A hair?? His hair, your hair, a long dog hair? How scary! Hope all will be well soon.I'm guessing it was my hair, but broken off because it wasn't as long, but it could have been one of my daughters'. Too long to be from one of the boys or daddy. oh my word, that is so scary. Did it not bleed as it was cutting into the toe if it was nearly at the bone? I am so glad that they did not have to amputate the toe and that he will be okay. No, there was no blood at all before they removed the hair, and hardly any after. Would you consider changing your thread title to more descriptive so it attracts more attention? I don't think many people know that it can get so serious.How do I do this? I've never changed a thread title before.ETA: I figured it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 How very scary; I'm glad that your baby's toe was saved. And, yes, I recall reading that same warning while I was pregnant. Thanks for posting this. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohdanigirl Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh my goodnes. I am just glad to hear that yout little precious baby is ok. I hope mama is doing good as well. Thanks for letting us moms know. It never would have occurred to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I'm so glad your baby is OK! Thank you for posting this thread -- it's information every parent should hear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 so scary! We had this happen to my son's penis..it was a dog hair. No idea how it got in the diaper! Luckily I had changed him just recently, so it was swollen, but not damaged. Good Grief. I guess we were just lucky. We always had dogs and I always had hair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 :grouphug: Thanks for the reminder. Glad your baby is okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddleduck Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I've seen this happen with a baby . There was a loose thread in his sock and wound its way around his toe. He was crying a little, not too much. Thank you for reminding us. Can't hear it enough. Babies cry/fuss for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Thank goodness he is ok :( I never had this happen but a friend did, thankfully it was caught before any real damage was done with hers. It seems so crazy and improbable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh my goodness! What a frightening situation! Glad he is okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 This happened to my youngest when she was 5 months old. I saw a piece of fuzz on her toe so I pulled it off. I guess there was a piece of hair around the fuzz, because I pulled the tourniquet tight. :( It started swelling before my eyes and I couldn't get anything in there to cut it. I raced her to the ER and she was fine, but it was incredibly scary. I had never even heard of this at the time. I'm glad your little one is okay. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Gosh, I would give you a hug if I could because that had to be a terrifying experience! Thank you for the information, I did not know! Wishing fast healing for your precious baby! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 How horrifying! I hope Baby will be fine! When I was a pre-teen we were vacationing at a cottage with cousins, and all the kids were sleeping in the same room. My baby cousin wouldn't stop fussing/crying and her parents didn't care, but I finally figured out that she had several hairs wrapped around a swollen, blue finger! It's been on my parenting radar ever since, but I never knew the baby could just be fussy all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I had this happen to my oldest when she was a baby. I noticed her little toe was red and swollen and that something seemed to be indenting it. Thankfully, dh's aunt is a nurse and she rushed right over and got it off. Definitely a crazy thing you don't really think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 This happened to my cousin's baby daughter...she was fussy for hours, not like her, and they finally discovered that her toe had been bent back in her little baby shoe and had turned blue and swelled. Like you, there was a concern that she would lose the toe, but it recovered. Whew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Ds7 had a hair wrapped around his toe. It was purple when I found it. He was wearing a sleeper. I think a hair got in the footie part of the sleeper in the wash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I'm glad your baby is ok! My son did something similar when he was about 3 but he stuck his finger in the hole of a sweater (belonging to his bear) and kept twisting it. It was so tight I couldn't just unwrap it and it was very difficult to get scissors in to cut it. I no longer allow my little kids to have knitted/crocheted blankets and I don't let them sleep in sweaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Poor baby! Poor mommy! Prayers for quick healing & calm... When my oldest was a newborn, she got a string from inside her footie pajamas wrapped around a toe. Not sure how long before I discovered it, but it was so tight, my mom had to help me get it off. :( Her toe was fine, it had not been on that long. What a scary situation -- thanks for raising awareness. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I also cut the thin ribbon loops that sometimes come on stuffed animals. They look like the loops for hanging jackets. My niece, who was 2 at the time, put her finger through a loop on her stuffed bear, and twisted the toy around and fell asleep. She woke up screaming in pain and we had to hold her down to untwist the toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne115 Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I'm so sorry for what you and your baby went through. I am so glad he will be okay. Thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully, it will help someone. Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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