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Toddlers life changed forever in the blink of an eye.

Jayden was just one when his mum boiled the kettle to make herself a cup of tea, she turned her back for just a moment when the unthinkable happened.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jayden reaching for the cup.

Before she could do anything, the freshly boiled water tipped off the bench and splashed all over Jayden’s neck, shoulder, chest, back and face.

His skin started blistering immediately.

Jayden’s mum, Anita, said “He was screaming and shaking. His dad rushed him under cold water while I called the ambulance. It was the most terrifying time.”

In shock and feeling helpless, the family were rushed by ambulance to their local hospital, where his initial treatment began.

But it wasn’t enough.

Soon after, Jayden was flown to Brisbane by the Royal Flying Doctors service where he underwent emergency surgery to treat his scalds.

It was the longest two-weeks of their life.

They watched on helplessly as their baby endured multiple operations to save him from pain.

“It was an extremely hard time. I was unsure of how to hold and handle him as every time I touched him or lifted him he would just cry. I felt as though all I was doing was hurting him.”

Jayden had a total of four general anaesthetics during his two-week hospital stay to help him cope with the overwhelming pain and give his body the rest it needed to mend.

Thankfully, Jayden is now home while his scars continue to heal, but he will have regular check-ups to monitor his progress.

Hot beverage scalds are the number one cause of burn injury in children and it can happen to anyone at any time.

Read more here at the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Share your comments below.

Image via Children’s Hospital Foundation

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  • Friends of ours were living in a State Housing Dept house in which the benches weren’t wide enough from the back wall to the front of the bench. It was school holidays. All the kids + Dad was home. They were making lunch and one of the adults had put the kettle on. He managed to stay standing on tippy toes, reached it and pulled down on top of himself. Prior to that they had never seen him manage to stay standing like that. His Mum ran under a cold shower (shoes & all) with him still fully clothed. Under the shower she was able to get his clothes off him. His Dad rang the hospital across the road. He was instructed how to wrap him and take him to the hospital. They put him in a special bath and rang for an Ambulance to take him to the Burns Unit down in the city. (normally a 2 – 3 hour drive but not with lights and siren. His Mother was questioned off and on for several hours as they thought it was a child abuse case. His Dad followed later after he had arranged care for his older children + grabbed clothes etc. for the Mum. He was also questioned. They understood why but it was very distressing. When they are able to take him home about a 3 or more weeks later he had to be isolated in one room and the other children not allowed in there at all for 3 weeks in case of infection. Only his Mum and dad were allowed in with him. They had to wear special clothes including masks for part of the time. He was in a room where they could open a window for a short time and the others talk to him after a couple of weeks. THey had to put special cream on the scars several times a day. Nappy change time also becasme cream time. Fortunately he only has 2 scars which aren’t prominent. One is completely hidden by his clothes. After finding out the Dad wasn’t being transferred with his job again they built a house with higher wider benches.

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  • One moment can really change everything! So scary!! :-(

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  • Such scary experience !! Hope he continues to heal well.
    My cousin had something like this happening to him at age 2, when he pulled a pan of boiling rice over him. He had many operations and is scarred for life with limited mobility in one of his arms and shoulder. But he coped well and turned into a beautiful man.

    Reply

  • Personally, as a mother of 3 children, 2 of which I breastfed until age 2, I agree with the owner of the cafe, who is open to prosecution from health authorities by this mother’s actions. Yes, I’ve enjoyed coffees whilst breastfeeding my children, BUT I never changed my babies nappies on the table!!! I wouldn’t do it in my home, so why should it be okay when I’m out?? I appreciate that it is often difficult to find suitable facilities where one can change one’s baby’s nappy, but if the mother had asked the owner of the cafe, I’m sure she would have been directed to the nearest place, and even have her table held for her to enable her to go and do it there? We’re not talking about breastfeeding here, we’re talking about hygeine, would you allow your older child to use a potty in full view of everyone in a cafe, or would you take it to the toilet area for the child to relieve itself.
    If this mother thinks it’s okay to change a baby’s dirty nappy on the same table from which she enjoys her food (regardless of whether a mat or blanket was placed on the surface first), I would not want to eat at her place. If the cafe was the type that had bench seats she could have easily changed her baby on the seat if she was really pressed, but even then I would be hesitant to even do that.
    Really, it’s time the age of entitlement used some commonsense!!! People weren’t complaining about her breastfeeding, they were complaining about her using the establishment as a baby change room, and quite rightly so!

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  • All hot liquids should be kept as far to the centre of the table, bench or cooktop to make sure this just doesn’t happen. Children are so quick and they don’t understand the consequences of their actions.

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  • yes, kids are quick, so watch them like hawks

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  • Kids are so quick and love to copy mum and dad and other adults, just don’t leave them within reach

    Reply

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