An Edinburgh mother has described how her baby narrowly avoided losing two toes after a strand of hair cut off the circulation. Gemma Fraser is now warning other parents about the dangers of Tourniquet Syndrome, which occurs when hair or thread becomes tightly wrapped around a digit.
Gemma noticed her three-month-old daughter Orla's toes had turned purple and were bulging during a nappy change in June last year. A strand of hair had encircled two toes, acting like cheese wire. Unable to remove it herself, she called an ambulance, and a paramedic spent 45 minutes cutting the hair away.
Orla was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. Despite initial treatment with antibiotic cream, one toe remained an open wound. After several visits, a plastic surgeon operated without general anaesthetic, using an anaesthetic wipe while Gemma held her screaming daughter. It took five weeks from first spotting the problem to surgery.
Gemma said she was shocked at how common the condition is. 'One of the nurses told me about Tourniquet Syndrome, and I was just shocked when I found images of children who haven't been as lucky as Orla, and have had toes amputated.' She warned parents to check socks and babygrows for trapped hair, which can occur in the washing machine.
Midwife Cass McNamara added, 'People should be made aware to check the baby every day. Hair is incredibly strong and can act like fishing wire. This has led to babies having toes and fingers amputated.' She advised that if a hair is tight, parents should go to A&E immediately.
