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Being the parent of a newborn child is no mean feat. They are reliant on you for everything, and even if you read every parenting manual on the planet and take advice from your nearest and dearest, things still can and do go wrong.
One mom, in fact, almost lost her child after using Bonjela to soothe her teething problems. Now, she has issued a warning to other parents about its potential dangers.
Credit: Kids_and_babyneeds
Jessica Vermunt explained that she put a doctor's recommended dose of Bonjela on her daughter Athena's mouth, the Daily Mail reports. However, after four hours at the doctor's surgery, the seven-month-old had to be rushed to the hospital.
The traumatized mom then nearly lost her daughter and turned to a parenting group on Facebook to share her experience:
"I am currently in starship hospital with my 7-month-old baby who was literally minutes from dying after having too much Bonjela.
The active ingredient in Bonjela will turn your baby's blood acidic and cause complete renal failure."
Credit: freeimages.com
She explained that while a warning was issued by Bonjela's makers in 2009 -stating that it wasn't appropriate for children under 16 due to the ingredient salicylate - its potential dangers are almost completely unknown.
"I'm aware that she had more than normal but the point remains that this has the potential to kill your child and there is no real information or warnings about the severity of it," Vermunt continued.
"I had been at the doctors [sic] four hours before she was rushed to hospital not breathing or responding to anything. The doctor was aware of the amount of Bonjela she was having and didn't think it was of concern at all."
Credit: NZ Herald / Supplied
Vermunt warned parents that if they have to use the product on their teething children, they should keep the amount used to an absolute minimum:
"I'm begging you, if you do use Bonjela for your baby please please please the smallest amount as little as possible."
She explained that if parents want to eliminate the risk entirely, they should use the Bonjela product that's been specifically designed for babies - which does not contain salicylate:
"The gel remains a safe treatment for people over age 16. The company that makes the gel also has an alternative product called, 'Bonjela Teething Gel' that does not contain salicylate and is safe for use in children from two months of age."
Credit: Amazon
The 2009 warning was issued after a similar incident in which a child under two was diagnosed with suspected Reye's syndrome after toothing gel was applied to his gums. This is a rare condition characterized by swelling of the liver and the brain, Mayo Clinic reports.
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