'Pop-It toys are a choking hazard' a group of nurses have urgently warned after one young boy got a piece of the fidget stimulator stuck in his gum.
Parents are being urged to be extra careful if allowing their children to play with the silicone toys, as once they get damaged, parts of the toy can break away and get stuck in a child's throat.
Young babies tend to play with sensory toys for stimulation but are often coming into contact with toys aimed at older siblings. And an Instagram group of nurses known as CPR Kids has shared the horrifying story of a baby called Lincoln who got part of a Pop-It toy stuck inside his mouth and are urging parents to throughly check the toy before giving them to older kids.
Their post reads, "Warning to parents and families that have a child with the common pop-it fidget toys and also have an infant or toddler in the home! Tonight while holding my nephew I saw a bit of pink in his mouth so I investigated further and saw what I thought was a gumball. My sister Ellie felt it and realized it was rubber so she pulled at it this piece of the toy had broken off somehow and it suctioned to his top gums. We’re lucky it ended this way and not with him choking."
It's not clear how the youngster came to have the piece of rubber in his mouth but it's thought that a piece broke off after the older sibling had been playing with it, and that it likely got picked up from the playroom floor as the aunt stressed that the baby "wasn't chewing on the toy at the time".
They added, "He is fine and the swelling immediately went down and he’s back to normal. It’s my suggestion to check these toys if you have them in the house and make sure they are of good quality. "
And since becoming aware of the warning, other parents have been warning their friends and family who own the toys. One wrote, "I feel like I saw Mia with one of these. Just wanted to share xxx" and tagged their friend in the post.
To which the friend replied, "Thank you! She does and she has actually started to bite it pretty hard. Thanks for sharing, turtle might be retiring!! xx"
The toys come in different shapes, sizes and colors and can be bought at supermarkets, stores, online and in shopping malls and are made from a wide range of manufacturers.
