Maine and Massachusetts Parents, Beware of Infant Tourniquet Syndrome

As parents, our most important job is raising our children.  We do everything we can to learn about taking care of our little ones.  We take classes, read books, and spend hours watching videos on the internet.  We just want to do what’s best for our kids.

This is especially true when they are infants.  They can’t speak for themselves, feed themselves, or bathe themselves.  They rely on us for everything.

Even though we have tried to learn all we can about taking care of our children, we can’t possibly know everything.

One of the little-known dangers your baby can face is ‘tourniquet syndrome’.

What is infant tourniquet syndrome?

According to the National Institute of Health, infant tourniquet syndrome, also called toe-tourniquet syndrome, occurs when a fiber gets wrapped around a baby’s appendage.  While it is generally a hair, the fiber could be a thread from clothing or a string.

Just like a medical tourniquet, if these items are wrapped around a finger or toe, they cut off the blood flow.  These could lead to serious injury.  There have been cases where the injury required amputation.

Clearly, as babies can’t tell us they are having a problem, we need to keep an eye out for this issue.  It does not take long for it to become a serious problem.

The good news is that, in most cases, there won’t be any lasting effects if the issue is caught early enough.

A trained medical provider must see the child.  Additionally, keep in mind that because hairs are hard to see, there is a chance that this problem could be mistaken for an infection.