Baby suffocated by baby oil

[snopes]

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/babyoil.asp

[Nana M]

Baby oil can cause brain damage if inhaled by an infant. There was a case where a 15 month old child suffered irreparable brain damage after inhaling baby oil and a subsequent court case found the manufactures had 'failed to warn' and were therefore liable in camages. The case is here.

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[Floater]

If rapeseed oil is made from rape seeds, olive oil from olives, linseed oil from lin (flax) seeds, what then is baby oil made from?

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Floater

If rapeseed oil is made from rape seeds, olive oil from olives, linseed oil from lin (flax) seeds, what then is baby oil made from?

I used to have a Flash animation showing baby oil being made

I have heard this story (told to me by a nurse) so it a common UL. I am just curious how the oil got "down the wrong pipe" so to speak.

[Sister Ray]

Originally Posted by FloridaGirl

I have heard this story (told to me by a nurse) so it a common UL. I am just curious how the oil got "down the wrong pipe" so to speak.

That isn't really that hard - all that separates them is a flap of skin. However, if you did swallow such into the lungs, presumably you could cough to get it out. It could also be suctioned out. I really can't think of a single reason it would suffocate you and that nothing could be done about it.

Sister "the inventiveness of ul's never ceases to amaze me" Ray

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

That isn't really that hard - all that separates them is a flap of skin. However, if you did swallow such into the lungs, presumably you could cough to get it out. It could also be suctioned out. I really can't think of a single reason it would suffocate you and that nothing could be done about it.

Sister "the inventiveness of ul's never ceases to amaze me" Ray

Oh, understand how it could happen. I do that all the time. But like you mentioned, you would try to cough it up, and the UL makes no mention of that (and I've heard it a few times). I should have stated what I was saying more clearly. How could a baby get the required amount into his lungs without him coughing so much and so loudly that his parents would have heard and stopped him in the act?

BTW, I use "him" because when I've heard the story, it was boy.

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

However, if you did swallow such into the lungs, presumably you could cough to get it out. It could also be suctioned out. I really can't think of a single reason it would suffocate you and that nothing could be done about it.

Unlike water, oil leaves a film behind. If that film in not permeable to air, it could easily suffocate you and nothing could be done about it, because it coated the alveoli. Short of pumping your lungs full of something to dissolve or remove the oil there wouldn't be much anyone could do, and I would imagine that anything capable of removing the oil might cause some problems in and of itself.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by FloridaGirl

How could a baby get the required amount into his lungs without him coughing so much and so loudly that his parents would have heard and stopped him in the act?

As the lawsuit linked in Nana M's post described:

"Mrs. Ayers unexpectedly came across David just as he began to drink the oil. In immediate and concerned reaction, she yelled at him to stop, causing him to gasp and inhale some of the oil into his lungs."

You know...in all my life I've never once oiled a baby?

My son does squeek a lot though.

But seriously I've never known anyone to actually use baby oil on a baby, is it for diaper rash or something?

I've only ever seen the substance used by adults...for various purposes.