A mother has shared a grave warning about overusing a popular teething gel after her baby almost died as it turned her blood acidic.
Jessica Vermunt from New Zealand posted on Facebook saying she used Bonjela soothing gel to relieve the pain of her teething baby, Athena.
After her little girl became ill, she rushed her to Auckland-based Starship Hospital.
“I am currently in starship hospital with my 7 month old baby who was literally minutes from dying after having too much Bonjela,” Jessica wrote.
“The active ingredient in Bonjela will turn your baby’s blood acidic and cause complete renal failure.”
The mother also said that “a warning went out in 2009 that no one under the age of 16 should have this and the UK have banned it from their shelves until the(y) removed the ingredient.”
Jessica added: “I’m aware that she had more than normal but the point remains that this has the potential to kill your child and there is no real information or warnings about the severity of it.
“I’m begging you, if you do use Bonjela for your baby, please please please use the smallest amount as little as possible.”
She admitted that she was “aware that she had more than normal, but the point remains that this has the potential to kill your child and there is no real information or warnings about the severity of it.”
Jessica had taken little Athena to her GP four hours “before she was rushed to hospital not breathing or responding to anything.
“The Dr was aware of the amount of Bonjela she was having and didn’t think it was of concern at all. That is because even the doctors hadn’t been informed how dangerous this product is.”
A spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser UK said to The Sun: “We have been made aware of an incident relating to bonjela in New Zealand. Our New Zealand team are actively investigating this case and have reached out to the mother.
“The health and safety of our consumers is a top priority for us. Our products are fully compliant and formulated to each market’s requirement for ingredients.
“All bonjela products in Australia and New Zealand are reviewed and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the regulatory body for therapeutic goods in Australia and the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe).
“In other markets, such as the UK, there may be different products, formulations and classifications. As such, there are regional differences to the formula of bonjela products.
“Consumers should use bonjela products according to the packaging, which includes information on ingredients and correct dosage, and speak to a healthcare professional if they have any concerns.
“We are sending our best wishes to the infant for a quick recovery.”
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