Veg steamer
A toddler was left fighting for his life after a vegetable steamed he snagged poured nine liters of boiling water over him (SWNS)

A toddler suffered horrific injuries after accidentally pulling a vegetable steamer on top of himself, covering his body in litres of boiling water.

Dougie Dodd was left with third-degree burns to his face, neck, chest, hands and feet after the ‘freak accident’ in March.

The little boy, who was just one at the time, was rushed to hospital where he stayed for nearly two months fighting toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal result of infection.

His mum Nadia Hulse, 25, was cooking and video chatting with her mother when Dougie reached over the vegetable steamer, which held nine litres of boiling water and vegetables, with a wooden spoon.

Nadia, from Cannock, Staffordshire, told the Daily Mirror: ‘I was right next to Dougie when it happened. I shouted, “Dougie, no!” which startled him.

‘As he jumped back the handle of the spoon got caught on the wire and the vegetable steamer tipped over.’

Dougie Dodd in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
Dougie Dodd suffered third degree burns on half his body. (SWNS)
Dougie Dodd in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
Dougie had to stay in the hospital for nearly two months (SWNS)
Dougie Dodd the day before the accident. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
The then one-year-old was playing in the kitchen when he snagged the steamer with a wooden spoon. (SWNS)
Dougie Dodd with mum Nadia now. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
The horrific accident happened in front of mum Nadia Hulse. (SWNS)

She added: ‘I stripped Dougie and raced him upstairs into a cold bath but he was screaming hysterically and trying to out of the bath and on to me.’

An ambulance, called by Nadia’s mother who witnessed the terrifying ordeal on Facetime, rushed Dougie to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with burns covering half his body.

Doctors performed a skin grafting operation on him, taking skin from his thigh to cover his left wrist and chest.

Receptionist Nadia said she could not stop crying as doctors fought to stabilise her son’s ‘touch and go’ condition.

Things took a turn for the worse on 14 March when Dougie was diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome, causing his blood pressure to skyrocket, she said.

Dougie Dodd in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
Dougie’s condition at the hospital was ‘touch and go’ (SWNS)
Dougie Dodd in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
The toddler developed toxic shock syndrome, an often fatal condition that results from infection (SWNS)

He required an oxygen mask to breathe and a blood trauma transfusion.

Following the transfusion, he started to show signs of recovery and was finally discharged on 8 April.

The now two-year-old still needs to wear a compression vest at night to attempt to reduce scarring seven months after the incident.

His mum feels guilt over the accident though she says that it hasn’t changed the little boy’s sunny disposition.

Dougie Dodd and mum Nadia in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
Dougie’s mum feels ‘guilt’ over the accident. (SWNS)
Dougie Dodd in hospital. A toddler nearly died and was left with third degree burns over his body - after pulling a vegetable steamer over his head. See SWNS story SWOCsteamer. Dougie Dodd, then aged one, got tangled in the wire of mum Nadia Hulse's kitchen appliance. Nadia, 25, was cooking in the kitchen when her son's spoon that he was playing with caught the cable. It sent the steamer's contents all over him - nine litres of boiling hot water and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Mum-of-one Nadia lunged towards her boy but was just too late as the three tier vegetable steamer toppled over. Dougie suffered horrific burns to his face, neck, chest, hands, wrists and feet. He was in hospital for two months, fighting for his life as he battled infections from the third degree burns that covered half of his body.
Seven months after the accident, Dougie still wears a compression vest at night to try to minimise scarring. (SWNS)

Nadia said she worries about her ‘brave’ son growing up with scars but tries to reassure him he is still beautiful.

She said: ‘Dougie is such a happy, lively little boy and has not changed his outgoing personality one bit, but I still feel guilt.

‘I know it was a freak accident and the only thing I could have done differently was to not let him play with the saucepans, but I wish I could turn back time and get his cars out for him to play with instead.

‘It still breaks my heart to think about it which I do everyday and to see the pictures of him in the hospital.

‘I’m just so grateful for the hospitals fantastic work and that he’s ok – they worked so hard and saved his life.’

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