Wednesday 19 December 2012

Toddler Emergency



Being a parent it is natural to worry, and I certainly do my fair share of it.

Leaving Leo with Granny when I come to work is something I have to do, but I often find myself sitting and wondering what he is up to during the day.

Yesterday my mobile rang at work, it was my Mum. Being in the office I didn’t take the call but I suddenly felt that something wasn’t right, something had happened. Then the office phone rang and a call was transferred through to me, it was my Mum.

She was hysterical and saying I needed to leave work now and come to the hospital. She said that Leo had swallowed nail varnish remover and I needed to get to the hospital. To be met with the panic in her voice and the urgency I too began to fall apart, right in the middle of the office in front of everyone I worked with. Of course they heard my side of the conversation so they knew I had to leave urgently.

The phone call lasted less than a minute; I didn’t ask the many questions I wanted to ask ‘is he ok? What happened? How? How much did he drink?’ as I just wanted to get to him and see for myself.

I left so quickly that I didn’t even turn off my computer and I drove to the local accident and emergency as quickly as I possibly could. It was here I saw my baby boy, he had sick all down his front and looked a little sorry for himself. He put his arms out to me for a cuddle and then he began to come around, becoming his inquisitive, curious self once again.

Now I could see he was ok I wanted to know exactly what had happened. Granny went into the kitchen to make Leo up a drink and in this time frame Leo went into my younger sister’s room, which is on the ground floor, right next to the kitchen.

He went into her room and found that she had left her nail varnish remover on the side, with the lid off. As any toddler would do when they are left to their own devices he was curious and decided to investigate, which in this case lead to him taking a swig. It was only when Leo ran through to Granny screaming and crying that she could smell the chemicals on his breath. He was then sick all over Granny and himself and that is when they quickly took him to casualty and called me.

By the time he arrived at casualty he had calmed down considerably and with my arrival he was soon back to his usual self, and seeing him instantly put my mind at rest. The nurse didn’t seem overly concerned and said that he seemed to be playing quite happily. She asked me if I thought he was acting like himself, and all I could say was yes as he steered the steering wheel and tooted the horn in the little pink sit and ride he was sat in.

They took Leo’s blood pressure and checked his heart rate, and even had a look inside his mouth to make sure that the solvent had not burnt him. Leo just looked confused as the nurse prised her way into his mouth. After all the checks had been made we were advised that we were going to have to stay in for observation over the next 4 hours, so that if anything did happen they could call an ambulance to take us over to the city hospital where Leo was born.

Over the next 4 hours Leo ran a muck around the hospital, he played in the sit and ride car, he read a In The Night Garden – Maca Paca book and he disappeared off into the hospital reception to press the button that opened the main door. The nurses loved him and after his final check we were given the all clear and discharged. They looked a little sad to see my little tearaway leaving after he provided 4 whole hours of entertainment.


Before he left though they let Leo put the stethoscope in his ears and they placed the instrument next to his heart so that he got to hear his own heartbeat for the very first time. I thought this was lovely and Leo was fascinated. He just stared directly in front as his listened to the ‘Boom, Boom, Boom’ of his heart. He didn’t look impressed when they took it away, but reconciled his disappointment when they gave him a special bear to take away with him and a sticker too!

After getting my little man home just after half 8 last night we still had to feed him and get him ready for bed. Leo was starving and I have never seen him wolf anything down so quickly, he ravished his sausage and chips and then retired to bed after an incredibly hectic, scary evening.

Leo has been absolutely fine, despite giving me the fright of my life. He has been playful, happy, and even dealt so well with being so hungry and tired. When they said we had to stay in for 4 hours I thought I was in for the longest evening of my life, but he was such a good boy and did so well.

I am just very thankful that he is fit and healthy as things could have been so much worse than they were, and I just hope that lessons were learnt so this does not happen again.





8 comments:

  1. Bless him and glad he is ok. Looks like he was having fun playing with the new toys too!

    P.s Dylan has those socks! :p

    Xx

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  2. Thankfully he is ok hunny.
    It's a mums worst nightmare something happening when your not tgere but granny sounds amazing acting quickly an calling en route :) best child care option ever xx

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    1. Granny did act quickly! Just so thankful he was ok :) x

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  3. I am so pleased that he is OK. Bless him. What a worry!

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