A toddler who was placed in an induced coma after a freak accident involving a Bluey cake is now breathing on his own. Doctors have told the parents of one-year-old Dusty Wildman that he is not yet out of the woods, but is showing signs of improvement after having his breathing tube removed on Thursday.
The ordeal started when his mother was baking a cake using a decorative gold dust powder at their home on the Gold Coast last Friday. According to a GoFundMe page set up by family friend Rochelle, Dusty got hold of the powder, which is commonly used in cake decorating, opened the pot with his teeth, and inhaled it, triggering a medical emergency.
'When the dust is mixed with water it turns to paste - so it immediately blocked Dusty's lungs,' Rochelle said. 'He went unresponsive and she (mother Katie Robinson) called 000.'
Dusty was rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, where doctors acted quickly to save the toddler's life. He was diagnosed with chemical pneumonitis, a serious condition caused by inhaling toxic substances. The 14-month-old underwent emergency surgery to remove the powder from his lungs and was placed in an induced coma.
While scans on Monday showed his lungs appeared 'worse than the day before', his condition started to improve, and his breathing tube was removed on Thursday. 'He is doing well breathing on his own. His meds have decreased but he is still in a drowsy state,' Ms Robinson said in an update on the fundraiser. 'The doctors are happy with his progression, however, (they are) still unsure about the lasting effects on the lungs.'
Dusty's parents have stayed by his bedside in hospital, while the Ronald McDonald House has assured them that they will have accommodation for the entire duration of his stay. The family warned others to check their kitchen for 'non-edible dusts'.
'He was coughing and getting really distressed and then he sort of became a bit more unresponsive,' Ms Robinson said. 'His eyes were rolling in his head and he couldn't breathe properly. It was terrifying to watch.'
The incident has raised questions about labelling and safety. Doctors sent the decorative powder for testing and discovered it contained copper and zinc compounds. 'All these products look exactly the same and the fact that there are toxic, non-edible products sitting right next to edible products that do the same job, technically, is the problem,' Ms Robinson said.
The metal-based powder involved in the incident was labelled 'for use on removable parts'. Ms Robinson said the wording was vague. As of Friday evening, the fundraiser had raised $50,000 of a $55,000 target. The decorative gold dust powder has been removed from sale, effective immediately.
