The family of a 14-month-old boy placed in an induced coma after inhaling cake decorating powder has shared an encouraging update on his recovery. Dustin, from the Gold Coast in Australia, was rushed to emergency surgery at Brisbane's Queensland Children's Hospital after breathing in gold lustre dust, which turned to paste inside his lungs.
His mother, professional baker Katie Robinson, revealed that Dustin is now breathing independently. 'Dusty has had his breathing tube taken out and now has high flow oxygen through nasal prongs,' she wrote on a GoFundMe page. 'His meds have decreased but he is still in a drowsy state. The doctors are happy with his progression, however still unsure about lasting effects on the lungs.'
The incident occurred while Katie was baking a Bluey-themed birthday cake for a friend's son. Dustin, who was in the studio, pulled down a tube of lustre dust and inhaled the powder. 'Within seconds he had just pulled it off with his teeth, the cap, and just inhaled it and ingested it at the same time,' Katie said. He began choking and struggling to breathe, and his parents performed first aid while calling emergency services.
Doctors later established the dust contained copper, which can cause respiratory distress and serious lung damage. 'All the doctors have said this is such a rare case ... they haven't really seen this before,' Katie added. More than 1,000 people have donated to the family's fundraising page, with organiser Rochelle Evrard thanking the community for their support.
