Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Mother Urges Home Childproofing After Son’s Near-Fatal Window Fall
A parent from South Carolina is imploring families to properly childproof their homes after her young son tragically fell through a window, suffering a serious accidental injury. The incident left the child just moments from death, highlighting the critical importance of home safety for toddlers and children.
Accident During Playtime Leads to Emergency
Alyssa Dubois’ four-year-old son, Aceson, was playing with his older sister, Aliah, at their residence in Charleston in March 2024 when an unforeseen incident occurred. During a game of cops and robbers, nine-year-old Aliah playfully restrained him by tying his legs, causing Aceson to lose his balance and crash through a glass window situated approximately two feet above ground level.
Immediate Aftermath: Blood and Panic
Upon hearing the sound of shattering glass, Alyssa rushed into the room and was confronted with the horrifying sight of her son covered in blood, with a deep, four-inch laceration on his neck.
Recounting the distressing event, the 25-year-old mother explained, “He was moving as if he was being taken into custody, but due to his speed and weight, he went directly through the window headfirst.”
“I heard Aceson cry out and immediately ran to his side, discovering blood everywhere. It was gushing from his body,” she added.
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“He was clutching his neck, and upon closer inspection, blood was spurting from the wound. He didn’t fully pass through the window; his hips and legs remained inside, enabling him to pull himself back in.”
Graphic Injury and Narrow Escape
Disturbing images display a substantial four-inch wide and 1.5-inch deep wound across Aceson’s neck, extending from his mouth to his ear. The injury narrowly avoided his jugular veins, which are essential for transporting blood from the brain back to the heart.
Aceson Dubois, now five, narrowly avoided death last year after falling through a window, resulting in a severe neck injury.
Even minor harm to the jugular veins can result in life-threatening hemorrhage, blood clots, vein inflammation, and infections – all posing a risk of significant brain damage and cardiac arrest.
Mother Advocates for Child Safety Measures
Following the traumatic incident, Alyssa is now strongly advising all parents to take proactive steps to protect their children by installing safety measures throughout their homes and gaining knowledge of basic first aid for wound treatment.
Reflecting on her immediate response to stem the “spitting” blood flow while awaiting paramedics, the young mother stated, “I was petrified; I genuinely believed it was fatal. I feared he had severed a major artery and was on the verge of death.”
“I gripped his neck tightly, trying to compress everything I could. Using nearby laundry from the couch, I packed the wound to try and close it,” she continued.
“My hands were constantly slipping due to the extensive blood covering my son. He was screaming on the porch, repeatedly saying, ‘Mommy, please don’t let me die.'”
“The glass missed his jugular veins by a mere inch. However, it did sever his saliva gland in half and partially detach the lower portion of his ear.”
Salivary glands, located in the head and neck area, are crucial for mouth lubrication, swallowing function, digestion processes, and safeguarding teeth against harmful bacteria.
Emergency Surgery and Recovery
Upon arrival at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, South Carolina, Aceson was immediately taken for a two-hour emergency operation to repair his neck, saliva gland, and ear.
Alyssa recounted, “During the entire wait for him to emerge from surgery, I was uncontrollably shaking and felt nauseous. Seeing him asleep after the operation broke my heart into pieces.”
“I was relieved that he was alive but also confronted with the stark reality of what I could have been facing had he not survived.”
“The most heart-wrenching moment was when he turned to me and said, ‘Thank you for not letting me die.'”
Aceson underwent a subsequent surgery a week later to remove some sutures and was then discharged to continue his recovery at home.
One year following the incident, Aceson has fully recovered without any lasting nerve damage.
Aceson received surgical treatment at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, South Carolina.
Since the ordeal, both Aceson, now five, and Alyssa have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and are currently receiving counseling.
The mother disclosed that her son now exhibits fear towards windows, and any sudden loud sound triggers anxiety for Alyssa regarding her children’s safety.
Consequently, she has removed the window involved in Aceson’s fall from her mobile home and has placed furniture against other windows to prevent any recurrence of such a devastating accident.
She is now passionately urging parents to childproof their living spaces and acquire fundamental first aid skills to effectively manage bleeding emergencies.
Expert Childproofing Advice for Home Safety
Experts recommend several standard childproofing methods, including securing heavy furniture, covering electrical outlets, installing safety latches on cabinets and drawers, and utilizing baby gates to restrict access to hazardous areas.
Alyssa also emphasizes the importance of learning wound packing techniques, which involve inserting materials like gauze into wounds to control hemorrhage and prevent infection.
She revealed, “At the time of the accident, my healthcare training was invaluable, enabling me to understand and execute necessary steps to control the bleeding before reaching the hospital.”
The mother revealed her son now fears windows and she experiences anxiety for her children’s safety upon hearing loud noises.
One year post-accident, Aceson is healthy with no lasting nerve impairment.
“Knowing how to properly pack a wound during severe bleeding is essential knowledge for every parent, and indeed, for individuals in general,” she advised.
She further suggested that parents should install shatterproof windows and apply gymnastic mats to corners and around windows to further protect young children from harm.
Statistics on Home Accidents Involving Children
Annually, approximately 2,300 children under the age of 15 succumb to unintentional injuries within their homes in the United States, and over 3.4 million children experience non-intentional home-related injuries.
The World Health Organization estimates that globally, around 270,000 children under five years old die each year due to home accidents.
Implementing effective childproofing strategies could potentially prevent an estimated 55 percent of household injuries among children aged ten and under, underscoring the critical need for proactive home safety measures.