Baby In China Left With Tissue Damage After Mother Uses Online Advice To Prevent Finger Sucking

A Chinese mother wrapped her 11-month-old baby's index finger with cloth to prevent the child from sucking it, believing it was unhygienic and could affect the baby's tooth development, the South China Morning Post reported. But the finger became swollen and purple despite the mother's claims that she had wrapped it "loosely".

As per the report, the parents took their baby, nicknamed Lele, to the Hunan Children's Hospital in central China's Hunan province on July 14 for immediate treatment.

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As quoted, Luo Yuanyang said part of the skin and tissue on the baby's index finger had died and also warned that if not treated promptly, the finger could have required amputation due to tissue damage.

"Chewing things is a baby's way of exploring the world," the doctor said, further adding that the habit usually disappears at two or three years old.

"Parents only need to keep their hands clean," she added.

The healthcare professionals also cautioned parents against following unverified online tips, especially those that could harm their children's health. 

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There's a documented case where a mother's hair accidentally got wrapped around a two-month-old baby's finger, causing swelling and risking amputation, emphasising the need for vigilance and proper care.

In a similar case, a mother urged other parents to wash baby sleepsuits inside out after her baby developed hair tourniquet syndrome, which mostly affects infants, The Sun reported.

It happens when hair becomes tied around their toes, fingers, tongue or umbilical stump. The mother, Danielle Beardsley, believed she hadn't washed the sleepsuit inside out, and either hers or her older daughter's hair got caught inside the sleepsuit.