A mother who was left terrified her toddler would be scarred for life after he scalded himself with a cup of tea has revealed how his second degree burns cleared up within a week thanks to a £7.99 pot of coconut oil.
Tracy Hallwood, 24, of Cheshire, only turned her back for a second last October when her son Arlo, now 20 months, pulled a boiling hot brew off the kitchen counter.
The subcontractor rushed the youngster to Leighton Hospital, Crewe, where doctors confirmed he had second-degree burns across his back and arms.
Desperate to help her son, Mrs Hallwood applied coconut oil to Arlo’s burns, having used it since he was a newborn to keep his skin moisturised.
Within just a few days the redness on his back and arms began to fade, with his skin being back to normal after only a week.
Arlo (pictured recently aged 20 months) scalded himself on a cup of tea last October when his mother Tracy Hallwood turned away for one second. After suffering second-degree burns, his skin cleared up, with no scars, within a week thanks to a £7.99 pot of coconut oil
Mrs Hallwood (pictured recently with Arlo) was ‘heartbroken’ when medics warned his burns may scar. She decided to try coconut oil after she had been using it to keep his skin soft since he was a newborn. Within just a few days, the redness on his back and arms began to fade
Image shows the painful burns on Arlo’s shoulder after the horrifying incident
Speaking of the incident, Mrs Hallwood said: ‘When it first happened, I was heartbroken. I thought there was no way he wouldn’t be scarred and doctors warned me he may be too.’
It occurred one morning last October when Mrs Hallwood, who is married to Arlo’s father Anthony Hallwood, turned to get some milk from the fridge only to hear her son screaming in agony.
‘There had been two brews on the counter, that I was making for Anthony and I, and Arlo had reached up and grabbed one of the mugs,’ she said.
‘Anthony leapt into action and put him in a cold shower whilst I rang for help.’
The family raced to A&E where medics immediately began to bandage Arlo’s burns.
Though discharged later that day, the youngster had to return to hospital every day for the next week to have his dressings changed.
‘Luckily the burns weren’t on his face, but I was still really worried about scarring,’ Mrs Hallwood said.
Desperate, she decided to apply the coconut oil Kokoso on his burns, having used it since he was a newborn to keep his skin moisturised.
‘I’d read really good reviews when I was pregnant, so got myself a pot of the oil,’ Mrs Hallwood said. ‘I’d use it on Arlo every day, applying it after his bath to keep his skin healthy and moisturised.
‘It works on everything. He’s had terrible nappy rash in the past and Kokoso cleared it up within 24 hours, so I checked with a nurse and figured it was worth trying it on the burns.’
After the incident, Arlo was rushed to A&E where medics wrapped him in bandages (seen left) and sent him home that same day, but he still required daily dressing changes for the next week. His burnt arm is pictured recently on the right, looking healthy with no scars
Mrs Hallwood (pictured recently with Arlo) is speaking out to give hope to other parents whose children have burns or other skin conditions that there are effective treatments out there
Arlo is now a happy little boy and has been completely discharged, requiring no medical care
In just a few days, the redness on Arlo’s back and arms began to fade.
‘Within a week, they had more or less healed,’ Mrs Hallwood said. ‘Now, you’d never know anything had happened to look at him.’
Mrs Hallwood is speaking out to show other parents whose children have burns or other skin conditions that there is hope.
‘We’ve been completely discharged now,’ she said. ‘Arlo needs no more medical care to his burns. You’d never be able to tell it even happened.
‘I’d advise any parent to check with a nurse like I did before using anything on their child.
‘We still use Kokoso to this day. I’m so grateful for how much it has helped my little boy.’
Arlo’s father Anthony Hallwood (pictured) leaped into action after the incident, putting the youngster in a cold shower while his mother frantically called 999
Arlo’s parents still use the coconut oil every day on his skin to keep it clear and healthy