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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel this product is not safe for children?

66 replies

lill72 · 02/05/2018 15:53

Hi, so DD , 3 , licked a kids ink pad and violently vomtited 4 times and ended up in A and E.

I was terrified as I was in the room but did not know what had happened until she had stopped vomiting and explained what she had done.

She was in A and E for a few hours.

I wrote to the company and after a long time waiting, they have replied with a weak apology and said that while unfortuate, it was due to an embittering agent put in the product so that kids dont keep licking it.

So it is ok to make a child vomit???? She licked it once.

Shouldnt a kids product be non toxic?

I find this very unacceptable.

The brand is a UK brand , based in London. It does not say it is non toxic

OP posts:
SnorkFavour · 02/05/2018 16:25

Oh I see, so she hasn't been poisoned and you're unhappy with the company's response?

I'd suggest you accept their explanation and accept responsibility for the fact that your daughter had access to the pad enough to lick enough to be ill.

I feel sorry that the company had to waste their time replying to you.

Mrsmadevans · 02/05/2018 16:26

Children vomit a lot , are you sure it wasn't a bug OP.

OlennasWimple · 02/05/2018 16:28

Sounds like the agent in the pad did exactly what it was meant to do.

^^ This

Would you prefer yummy tasting ink that your DC would lick over and over and put in their mouth? Confused

Oldraver · 02/05/2018 16:48

So, you're saying the Bitrex (assuming it's this) worked ? and you are complaining ?

Original poster
lill72 · 02/05/2018 16:49

Holding - I get it. Just don't think ending up in A and E after one lick is exactly what I desire in a kids ink pad!

The product does not say it is non toxic on the pack meaning it must be toxic surely?

I dont think this is safe enough for kids.

Please tell me this is not in every kids product?

OP posts:
Original poster
lill72 · 02/05/2018 16:50

NO - I would prefer an ink that doesnt require an embittering agent for it to be safe for my child. Surely they exist?

OP posts:
Original poster
lill72 · 02/05/2018 16:52

Gosh Snork I am sure you are perfect and saw everything your little darlings do????

I said I was in the room. Ah it is called turning your head for one second. Only takes a second.

Really!!!!!

OP posts:
tailsiwin · 02/05/2018 16:53

She didn't really "end up in A&E" though, did she?

You took her to A & E because she'd been sick and you were worried. But they (medics) said she's fine. So it's misleading to say she ended up in A&E as you're implying she needed to be there.

I could go to A&E now and say I ended up in A&E after posting on a Mumsnet thread. It would be true but not quite right!

Sirzy · 02/05/2018 16:54

But does a child who has vomitted a few times really need to go to a and e?

SpitefulMidLifeAnimal · 02/05/2018 16:56

It's not just poisoning though is it? Wouldn't repeatedly licking a non-toxic ink pad cause skin staining?

Yura · 02/05/2018 16:59

I would think it is basically impossible to make an inkpad that is safe to eat (which is what you are asking). even if you would make it, put a couple of stamps in it, leave it some days, and it wouldn't be safe anymore. embittering agrnt is the best choice really (it makes me throw up as well - i used to work in product testing)

Notso · 02/05/2018 16:59

When you say ended up in A and E do you mean you took her there?

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 02/05/2018 16:59

If the ink pad hadn't had the bitter ingredient then your DC would have carried on licking it. That would have been worse, surely. The ingredient did exactly what it is meant to, deter children from licking more.

Not all children would have vomited. It's a bitter taste. Some just say "yuck", others react more strongly.

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 02/05/2018 17:08

If you want paint that is completely safe to eat, make it using fruit by squashing it up. It can be a great messy play activity.

I can't imagine an ink that would be fine to eat in large quantities. Non toxic I think just means not poisonous/ very harmful. Something can be non toxic and still give you a stomach ache for example.

We had to throw some ink pads we were gifted out as my youngest kept licking them. I'd much rather they had a bitter agent added to deter her as then we could have kept them.

You took her to A&E for a medical opinion and she was discharged, it sounds like she didn't need any medical treatment so the medical opinion was that she was fine. It wasn't that the product "put her in A&E" which implies she was unwell and needed A&E treatment.

Of course worrying for you, but it doesn't mean the product is dangerous because you sought a medical opinion, which was that there wasn't any danger.

Btw 111 can often arrange a clinician to check a database of harmful substances over the phone to see if they are potentially harmful, to save unnecessary A&E trips if your child is not unwell.

littleducks · 02/05/2018 17:09

But she didn't need to go to A&E, presumably you didn't know that until you had taken her and sought medical advice. She wasn't poisoned though. Just vomited a bit.

TheFirstMrsDV · 02/05/2018 17:32

It must have been scary for you but she didn't need to go to A&E. She didn't end up there because she licked the pad, she ended up there because you panicked.

gamerwidow · 02/05/2018 17:37

I'm going to go against the grain and say if my 3 yo DD was sick 4 times in rapid succession after licking something I'd panic too. It must have been a really frightening for you OP and I'm glad she's ok.
I think her reaction is very unusual and you were right to make the company aware of it.
I don't think any of us in spite of what's posted above expect our children's toys to make them violently ill.

FrancisCrawford · 02/05/2018 17:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

headintheproverbial · 02/05/2018 17:41

OP - you sound utterly bonkers.

corythatwas · 02/05/2018 17:41

It must have been scary for you, but the situation could just as easily have happened with a bar of soap or anything else with an unpleasant taste. Some children just react very strongly to unpleasant tastes or the unfamiliar.

PersianCatLady · 02/05/2018 17:44

I couldn't imagine leaving a 3 year old alone with an ink pad mostly because of the risk of them "redecorating" the house with it.

GloGirl · 02/05/2018 17:45

Look at all the non toxic glitter that found it's way into cakes. No wonder people do t describe products as non toxic as some people believe that means edible or not harmful if consumed even in large quantities.

You were right to be alarmed, and to let the company know. But that's it now. It's ok. No harm done.

ilovesprouts · 02/05/2018 17:46

My son regular licks my salt lampShock but it's never made him sick.

treeofhearts · 02/05/2018 17:52

It did exactly what it was supposed to do. Deterred her from ingesting any more of it and forced the expulsion of anything she may have already ingested. I understand you have had a fright but would you rather it hadn't have made her sick? Ink is generally toxic if you ingest enough of it, it's better out than in. Personally I wouldn't trust my 3 year old to be unsupervised with an ink pad but as you say, you can't have eyes on them every second so they have a failsafe: a rancid taste that makes her gag and has unfortunately made her throw up several times. But she didn't consume any more of it so it did its job. It's just unfortunate that she is sensitive to that particular taste. Other children may not be and might just go Eww and put it aside. I vomit rather spectacularly at the taste of brussels sprouts but some people eat them quite happily. I think in your rush of adrenaline and panic, you've lose perspective a little.

SnorkFavour · 02/05/2018 18:34

Gosh Snork I am sure you are perfect and saw everything your little darlings do????
I said I was in the room. Ah it is called turning your head for one second. Only takes a second
Really!!!!!

No, I certainly don't see everything they do, far from it in fact, but I do take responsibility if they get into difficulties from something that I should have thought of myself and something that a company had taken reasonable steps to make unpalatable as well. Even more so if nothing actually happens!!

It would be different if it were a poisoned yoghurt for eg, then I'd be angry that my child became ill from something that was supposed to be safe.

In this case, ink pads aren't generally something that should be licked and the company added something bitter tasting to protect your child and it did it's job perfectly. I doubt she'll repeat that again in a hurry and no harm has been done.

Also, your child didn't 'end up' in A&E, you took them there and were told nothing poisonous had been ingested, so I can't really see what you want the company to do.

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