Pune, Maharashtra, December 16, 2025: A two-year-old child has made a remarkable recovery at Ankura Hospital For Women and Children, Aundh, Pune after accidentally consuming acetic acid that caused severe burns to his mouth, food pipe, chest, genitals, and groin area.
The life-saving medical intervention was led by Dr. Milind Jambagi and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) team.
The young boy experienced a life-threatening emergency when he accidentally ingested acetic acid, a commonly used household cleaning chemical. What started as an ordinary day for his family quickly turned into a nightmare within minutes. The corrosive liquid was stored in a drinking water bottle, which led to the tragic accident.
The acid burned the child's lips, oral cavity, and food pipe, while also leaving painful chemical injuries in his chest area and groin region. As the toddler gasped for breath and cried in severe pain, his parents were unable to understand the agony he was suffering from.
According to a study, Accidental ingestion of corrosive substances like that of acetic acid by children (mostly under the age of 5) includes 5–518 per 100,000 annually, usually involves household liquids.1
A local doctor at Satara initially stabilized the child and urgently arranged a referral for higher-level pediatric care.
Ankura Hospital's neonatal and pediatric transport and retrieval team from Pune, under the expert guidance of Dr. Milind Jambagi, traveled to Satara with their specialized ambulance. They secured the child on ventilator support and ensured continuous monitoring throughout the journey which was said to be highly risky.
Dr. Jambagi explained that the child had scald burns over his body and his oral cavity revealed significant corrosion. An endoscopy performed immediately revealed corrosive injuries to the food pipe, though fortunately, no perforation was detected.
"Ventilator support was continued until the child's breathing stabilised. The chemical burns on the chest and groin were managed with specialised dressings and medication to prevent infection and aid healing. Chemical and corrosive ingestion in children is extremely dangerous because the damage begins instantly, can worsen rapidly and have lifelong consequences," he said.
Dr. Jambagi emphasized that storing corrosive chemical substances like house cleansers and acids in drinking water or soft drink containers at home is a major risk factor for accidental corrosive ingestion in children, particularly those under 5 years of age.
"This case reminds families to store household chemicals safely. Parents should stay alert and keep all household chemicals, medicines, and sharp objects completely out of children's reach, as accidents occur in children most of the time when the parents are around them but unattended. Curious toddlers explore everything around them, often without understanding danger. Simple precautions at home can prevent life-threatening emergencies like these," he said.
In a separate and tragic incident, a two-year-old boy died after accidentally drinking acid kept in the bathroom in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, police confirmed on Monday.
The boy was playing in the courtyard of his home in the Bharapur area on Saturday when he went inside the bathroom and drank from an acid bottle. His health deteriorated immediately after consuming the corrosive liquid, and he was rushed to King George's Medical University (KGMU), where he died during treatment on Sunday.
Reference:
1. Atıcı A, Miçooğulları L, Uğur B, Çelikkaya ME, Akçora B. Accidental ingestion of concentrated white vinegar in Hatay children in Turkey. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2023;74(4):288-291. Published 2023 Dec 29. doi:10.2478/aiht-2023-74-3792
(Rh/VK)
