Kottayam: Occasionally we come across reports of animals running helter-skelter with head stuck in a metal pot. Almost a similar predicament befall the one-and-a-half-year-old child of Vijay M Kora and Chinju the other day. Luckily, better sense prevailed and the toddler and his parents heaved a sigh of relief from the rare ordeal after they rushed to the fire brigade 6 km away.
The incident happened around 5:30pm on Sunday. The child, Alfin was beside his mother in the kitchen. The toddler then casually picked up an utensil and went to the hall. Soon, hearing the child's cries, Chinju rushed to the hall and found the vessel stuck on the child's forehead!
Initially, Chinju tried to remove the pot, but her efforts went in vain and the child started crying. The parents did not lose any time and immediately took the child to the Kottayam fire station in a car.
"We were bewildered to find the child's ordeal. But we immediately went to the fire station and our child was rescued," said the parents, natives of Puthuppally on the outskirts of Kottayam town.
Just 10 minutes!
Staff at the fire station were baffled for a moment as they saw the car, with headlights on, speeding into the premises. They then saw the child’s predicament, and immediately got to work. They consoled the parents but the child was frightened.
"We had to show cartoons to the child on the phone to calm him," said assistant station officer R Prasendran.
The rescue personnel cut the utensil slightly on both sides and the vessel came off easily, putting an end to the child’s ordeal and his parent's agonising moments.
"It just took 10 minutes. Everything was over smoothly. We took some time to pacify the crying child," the employees said.
Be careful
Parents of toddlers should be careful. Children in this age have a tendency to imitate the elders. They also tend to bite on anything they see or put any object into their mouth. There are also chances of the children swallowing items.
* Children should not be given sharp objects to play with as they may cause injury.
* Do not keep knives and other sharp objects on tabletops or places where the children can see them.
* Mosquito repellents, soap, matchbox and pesticides should not be kept within the children’s reach.
* As far as possible don't allow children to play in the kitchen.
* Do not allow toddlers to play with bed sheets, curtains or pillows.
* Keep the external door and gate shut.
* Avoid tight clothes for children. Let them wear loose cotton clothes.
(Courtesy: Dr V Satheesh, Principal, Government Medical College, Ernakulam)
