A hair strand almost causes an infant to lose a toe

It’s more likely to happen on a toe than a finger, and it will often be strings from socks rather than hair tourniquets.

For two weeks, 5-month-old Molly had been crying. Her parents Scott and Jessica Walker from Wichita, Kansas, could not figure out what was causing it. They had ruled out early on that it was neither feeding nor changing nor even a pacifier.

Then they noticed something strange: Molly’s right foot was sweating, but the other foot was not.

They removed the sock and discovered that one of her toes had swollen up. On closer inspection they found that a hair strand had wrapped itself as tourniquet around it, restricting blood flow.

READ: Newborn baby care: 14 things you should know about your newborn

Thankfully, Jessica, a registered nurse, was able to use a pair of tweezers to remove the hair with the aid of a magnifying glass, and they were able to save the baby from losing her toe.

Scott and Jessica took to Facebook to warn other parents of tis bizarre accident. In a period of two weeks, it was shared more than 24,000 times over a period of two weeks.

Although this is a relatively rare occurrence, it does happen.

It’s more likely to happen on a toe than a finger, and it will often be strings from socks rather than hair tourniquets. So the next time your baby is crying and you can’t figure out why, it might be wise to at least check the toes.

READ: 10 mistakes to avoid in your child’s first year

Being a new mom can be pretty confusing and overwhelming. But even though you may not realize it, you have a unique gift the moment your baby is born—and that is a mom’s instinct.

If you feel something is not right with your baby, then it probably is regardless of what others say. Trust your gut instinct in such cases and consult with your baby’s doctor as soon as possible.

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James Martinez

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