BABY socks from Poundland are being recalled over fears they may trigger a syndrome that can make toes fall off.
At least 44 types of socks and tights adorned with cartoons like Tom and Jerry and Minnie Mouse could cause toe-tourniquet syndrome, according to UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
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The condition happens when a strand of hair or thread gets caught around a body part and cuts off circulation.
If left untreated, tourniquet syndrome can become dangerous and lead to nerve damage and tissue death.
“The products pose a risk of injuries or cuts as the material inside of the socks may cause a tourniquet around a child’s toe,” the government agency said.
Because of this, the cut-price retailer is asking customers who have bought specific batches of children’s hosiery to be returned.
The “do not use” warning applies to:
- Bu Terry Minnie Mouse socks: 830796
- Various baby Boy socks and tights: 831099, 830982, 831903, 818510, 818568, 830983, 830984, 830988, 831902, 828530, 822088. All colours and all sizes.
- Various baby girl socks and tights: 818509, 829735, 831121, 829736, 830901, 830980, 830981, 831037, 818317. All colours and all sizes.
- Various licensed baby socks – Tom & Jerry, Bambi, Toy Story and Chip and Dale Tights: 831123, 833029, 830792, 831901, 803047. All colours and sizes.
- Various Mickey and Minnie Mouse baby socks and tights: 827493, 830798, 830799, 830795, 830797, 830793. All colours and sizes
“We are asking any consumers who purchased the above product to stop using it,” Poundland said in a statement.
Customers can instead “return it to the store for a full refund”. No receipt is required.
Obvious symptoms of tourniquet syndrome
Tourniquets become very painful, so a baby who has one will likely cry a lot.
Some obvious symptoms include:
- Sudden crying without any noticeable reason
- Not able to settle
- Swelling
- Redness or other discolouration of the body part
- Tight line around the body part
Hair tourniquets are dangerous if they go unnoticed for too long.
Babies risk injuring or losing the affected body part. If hair is caught around their neck, they can also die.
Hair tourniquets can also cause a complication called ischemia, a lack of blood flow to the affected area.
Source: Healthline
Treatment
The NHS states that treatment begins with recognising the issue.
Experts say that an extremely close examination may be needed to find the hair or string and that you might need to use a magnifying glass or a bright light.
To treat the tourniquet, a first aider previously explained that you can apply a small amount of hair removal cream for 10 minutes.
However, she said you can only do this if the skin around the area is still intact.
You should then rinse the area with warm water.
If the hair remains wrapped or the skin is broken or bleeding, you should take your little one to the nearest emergency department, she added.
The same applies if they have fallen out of consciousness or are not breathing.