We woke at 4am to our son screaming – our horror story is a warning to all parents to lock bath plugs away
MOST tubs come with a plug, but it may never have occurred to you that they pose a danger to your little one.
The story of adventurous two-year-old Archie might make you think again.
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Shared by former paramedic Nikki Jurcutz on baby and child first aid training site Tiny Hearts Education, a mother told of a horrific chain of events involving little Archie.
She recalled being suddenly awakened at 4 a.m. by the sound of her eldest son running down the hallway toward her bedroom.
The four-year-old screamed that his little brother Archie “was in the bathtub and needed urgent help,” the mother wrote.
When she crawled out of bed, she was completely unprepared for what she saw.
“We found our cheeky, adventurous two-year-old fully clothed, diaper and all, in the bathtub.”
Although Archie had never climbed into the bathtub alone before, he managed to pull up a stool next to it and climb in before pushing in the stopper and turning on the tap.
“The bathtub overflowed and the bathroom was flooded,” recalled the horrified mother. But that wasn’t even the worst part.
“The scariest thing and something that traumatizes me deeply is that he had obviously been trying to get out for a while and then gave up and was tired,” Archie’s mother continued.
“He knelt on his knees and fell asleep in the water.”
She couldn’t bear to think about what could have happened in a different scenario.
“If our four-year-old hadn’t woken up, I can’t imagine what we would have woken up to,” she wrote, explaining that her bedroom was at the other end of the house from the bathroom.
“I’m so, so incredibly grateful that my four-year-old woke up like we never knew he would,” the mother said.
The fact that he heard Archie and alerted his parents was another “miracle” in itself, the mother wrote, as her four-year-old is normally a deep sleeper.
“We had Archie checked by a doctor and thank God he is absolutely fine! Just a few more minutes and the story could have ended completely differently,” said the relieved mother.
She has now put a lock on the bathroom door and “the plug is also in a locked cupboard,” she continued.
However, she noted how little was known that bath plugs could endanger young children.
“So many parents told me they never thought of it either, and they too left their plugs on the bench or near the bathtub.”
The mother added that – after receiving suggestions – she bought an alarm sensor to put on Archie’s door, which would alert the parents with a loud sound when he opened it.
“I hope this story can educate other parents because honestly, I’m REALLY passionate about child safety,” the mother noted.
“Every cupboard is locked, every piece of furniture is anchored or mounted to the wall and every effort is made to ensure the safety of our children at all times, but I honestly never thought of locking the plug away.”
Former paramedic Nikki said it doesn’t take a bathtub full of water to be in danger.
“It only takes a few inches of water and 20 seconds for a child to drown,” she explained.
She implored parents to keep bath plugs safely out of little ones’ reach and said that whenever she was asked why it was necessary, she told Archie’s story.
Meanwhile, former paramedic and founder of first aid education platform Safer Little Steps, Ross Smith, said: “It is important that you always supervise children, whether they are in or near water.”
Even a quick call in the next room or turning away from text messages could put your little one in danger, he warned.
He explained to parents exactly what to do in the event of a drowning.