Tot's oven cleaner horror (From Thurrock Gazette)

Tot's oven cleaner horror

3:30pm Wednesday 29th August 2012 in News

THIS IS the two-year-old whose innocent curiosity has caused him severe internal damage.

Callum Blackshaw is likely to need an oesophagus transplant after he swallowed several mouthfuls of oven cleaner, which has caused him severe internal injuries.

The toddler, who is a twin, climbed up on to the kitchen table in his grandmother’s house, pulled the new cleaner from its box, beat the bottle’s child lock and gulped down the corrosive liquid.

Callum’s grandmother, Carina Blackshaw, 52, of Brentwood Road, Orsett, had bought the cleaner for her daughter Maxine, 23, and left it on the table so she could take it home with her.

But while Carina popped out again to get some chocolate for her grandchildren, curious Callum escaped the attentions of his mum and clambered on to the table.

As Carina returned, she found her young grandson being violently sick.

He was taken to Basildon Hospital before being transfered to Great Ormond Street Hospital where he has been for two weeks – and will remain for a number of weeks more.

Carina, a police community support officer in Billericay, wants to warn parents how easy it is for this sort of thing to happen to young children.

She said: “I feel distraught and responsible for leaving it on the table, but I can’t get my head around how he undid the bottle. It was brand new.

“The bottle might have been faulty, but we’ll never know as it was taken with Callum to Basildon Hospital and then on to Great Ormond Street, but it’s got lost.”

Callum now has to have his oesophagus opened under morphine every night to stop it sticking together, as the warmth and moisture means his burns are taking a long to time to heal.

He is being fed on a drip three times a day. The family won’t know until Friday if there is permanent damage.

Maxine, who lives in Corringham with the twins, is by Callum’s side every night in hospital.

Carina added: “It’s hard for her and hard for Callum, too. He doesn’t understand. It’s been very stressful for everyone and very sad. “You don’t expect this sort of thing to happen.”