We went shopping today and as we were leaving the store, and as I was putting the cart back, Bubby walked over to the doors. They were the automatic sliding doors similar to these:
I'm having a hard time typing this because I keep picturing it in my mind... it was horrible.
He walked over to the side of the glass that did not move, just a few feet away from me, waiting for me to take his hand. As he was standing waiting I approached and the door opened. This all happened so fast! My heart is racing just thinking about it.
Somehow his hand got caught behind the door. It continued to open and trap his entire arm between the glass and the door. I watched in horror not knowing what to do. How was I going to save my boy from losing his arm? How could I stop the door? How could I get his arm free? How was I going to stop the door from trying to close and drag my son back, or...rip his arm off?
He was screaming like I've never heard him scream. All I could do was grab him and hope I could get his arm free before the door tried to close. Hope I could get to him fast enough to free him. As I rushed to get to him, the Hubby grabbed the door and stopped it from opening any more. It was the worst five seconds, although it felt like an eternity.
I got Bubby's arm free and miraculously, all he had to show for it was a few scratches on his knuckles and some redness on his wrist. Somehow he was okay but I don't feel okay.
First of all, I feel like such a bad mom. How could I let my not yet 2-year old get anywhere close to those doors? Parenting FAIL!
Secondly, why isn't there some kind of safety feature on the doors? Some kind of flap or something that would keep anything (like my son's arm) from getting sucked in between the glass and the door. Or how about it automatically stopping if there's any kind of resistance.
All I know is he could have really gotten hurt. I keep replaying the incident in my head and all I can do is think of what could have happened. It could have been really bad. I could be in the ER with my son right now instead of blogging about this as he naps in his room. Thank you, God!
25 comments:
Wow I am so glad that he is Fine..So Scary..Do not beat yourself up over this. It could happen to anyone! Had you known that sonething like this could happen ...he would have never been near the doors..But you did not know ..no-one whould have guessed that could happen. Just glad that everyone's O.K.
OMG! that is so scary but I'm glad your son is fine & you didn't fail at all. I have a one year old and never has it crossed my mind to watch out for sliding doors now after have reading of your experience I will definitely watch out for those doors. Did you let management know of this issue? maybe they should put a warning on doors?
First...take a deep breath.
Now 2nd...thank you for relaying this story as I, too, would never have thought of this as a hazard. Escalators, yes...treadmills, yes...automatic doors? Now we all have learned something new. Actually, this might be a good thing to report to OSHA.
Thanks to your quick action he's going to be okay. You are a good mommy.
That must have been terrifying! So not your fault, but I can only imagine how frightening it was!
*Hugs*
I remember feeling this way when my son swallowed a tack!
Oh you need a *BIG hug*!! That was definitely not a parenting fail - who on Earth would think that a child's arm could get stuck behind a door like that?? I am so happy to hear he is ok, and I will keep your story in mind. As 5thsister said - I would probably report this as well. Maybe that particular door was missing an important safety feature, and if not - hopefully they can look into a modification to prevent this!
What an awful experience! I have actually wondered if that could happen, it does seem as though there should be a safety feature on it to prevent that from happening.
Did you talk to the store about it? Maybe there is something they can do to make sure that doesn't happen to any other little ones.
Hugs to you :)
First off, glad you wrote about this, to spread the word! (I am going to retweet it)
Secondly, you should ABSOLUTELY bring this to the stores attention, and even the headquarters. I imagine you are not the first person to have something like this happen, and just think you could save another Mom from what must have been a horrible experience!
I am so glad your son is ok!
~Ida Mae@treeswillbend.com
How scary! I'm glad he's OK. I know you feel awful but rest assured that all moms have moments like that - where they feel like they failed.
Oh my goodness, Chanda! I am so glad he is ok!! How scary!!! I have never even given those doors a second thought... These moments have happened to ALL of us, though, so don't feel too bad, ok? *hugs*
~Beth
Oh my goodness...That is so scary. I am so glad your son is OK.
Oh my. I am so glad he is okay. My heart was racing just reading this. Just remember it is not your fault. He is okay and that is all that matters. ((hugs))
Glad he's okay. Another thing about automatic doors, is they are able to set a weight limit. They can set it higher, so that toddlers or real little kids can't 'run out of the store' alone. Which makes sense. However, when I was around 8 I was at teh store with my grandma, and something caught my eye as we were leaving, so i stopped to look at something. She didn't notice and kept walking, through the doors. I ran to catch up to her, but I didn't weigh enough to trip the doors open, so as I tried to run through the door completely shut on my arm. It bruised really badly but that was all. But I always worry about that when I have kids with me at the store, because you never know what the weight limit is on the doors.
Yikes! Thank goodness he's okay. That must have been so scary. I never even thought about that possibility with those automatic doors!
I just have to say thank you all so very much for all of the virtual hugs! I am overwhelmed by all the kindness that you have shown me. I'm not much of a crier, but you all have me choked up. Thank you for supporting me!
Wow, that is crazy... I would have freaked out too! I thought those doors are suppose to have a brush like thinky on them that prevents things from getting stuck behind... My glass slider at home even has that!!! Ya, I would report it to the store or something... or somewhere
Great fast thinking!
Oh hun, you did NOT fail!! I'm so happy your son is ok. These things happen...and it's always worse on us as parents than it is on them! If it makes you feel better, I tipped our stroller over backwards with my sleeping 1 year old in it this weekend while trying to get up a curb. :-( The funny part is I don't even think he'd have woken up if I hadn't spilled my soda all over him! I was waaaay more upset that it happened than he was!
Chin up momma, it could have been worse.
HUGS!
I used to work in a grocery store, and I think it is so stupid they don't post this on the doors...You can just push the doors open, both of them, and if you tug on them hard enough it should disengage the open/close automatic function. I found this out, when I accidentally kicked the door that doesn't move and it popped open like a regular door would. I thought I broke it!! Your poor little guy, I'm glad he's okay! It isn't your fault. You didn't know the evil doors were going to try and eat him!! Also if this happens to anybody else, if you are tall enough to reach, where the sensor on the door is, there is a switch on top and it stops immediately when you hit it. It's the only one up there so you just sort of feel for it.
Oh goodness, that hurt my heart just thinking about it. I'm so sorry that happened to your son! I am glad to hear everything is ok, if anything you should know that just posting this has saved all of our kids from similar accidents.
kim
http://www.thegirlisamom.com
Wow that is really scary Mama, so glad he is OK! I agree there should be a flap of some sort!
Thank goodness he is ok!! That is so scary! Thanks for sharing your experience. I will be sure to share it with friends and be more aware of it for my own kids.
As others have said don't beat yourself up over this! I never would have thought about that as many others wouldn't but now we all know.
*hug*
My son once got his arm stuck in the door of an elevator. It was scary, but he was ok. Don't worry! This stuff happens, we aren't bad parents.
So so so scary! So glad hes okay!
A similar thing like this happened with my Mom and sister when she was about the same age as your son.
There were two sets of doors like the ones you pictured and she was in the inner ones still in the store.
She stepped on the thing and it opened but she wasn't heavy enough and the doors closed on her. Yes the doors literally CLOSED ON HER! And would not open back up!
My Mom jumped from so far away, landed on the pad and got it to open.
But because of that happening the store replaced their doors.
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