Eden Strong, a mother, shared a cautionary tale on Facebook in September 2020 after her baby, Baylor, had a serious health scare due to bath toys. She had been aware of the potential for mold in bath toys and took precautions, but her son still faced a severe bacterial infection.

Despite regular cleaning and squeezing out water from rubber bath toys, bacteria thrived in the moist environment. After accidentally squirting himself in the eye with a tub toy, Baylor developed a serious infection that led to cellulitis, causing significant swelling and redness around his eyes and face.

Despite initial misdiagnosis and treatment, Baylor’s condition worsened, and he was eventually hospitalized. Strong emphasized that visible mold wasn’t the only concern; bacteria could still grow in toys that didn’t dry thoroughly. Baylor’s severe cellulitis risked vision loss, but thankfully, he eventually recovered.

Strong’s message to parents was clear: discard tub toys, especially those designed to squirt water, as they can’t be adequately cleaned to eliminate bacteria. This cautionary tale underscores the importance of understanding the potential risks associated with seemingly harmless items and taking necessary precautions to protect children from infections.

Watch the video below.