Toddler in Induced Coma After Inhaling Gold Cake Dust

A 14-month-old boy from Australia's Gold Coast remains in an induced coma after inhaling gold cake-decorating dust while his mother prepared a Bluey-themed birthday cake at their home on Friday afternoon.

Dustin, the son of professional baker Katie Robinson and her partner Chris, accessed a container of the lustre powder from a kitchen drawer. The ornamental dust, commonly used to add shimmer to desserts, reacted with moisture in his lungs to form a paste that blocked his airways. Robinson immediately called triple zero, Australia's emergency line, as Dustin became unresponsive, choking and crying before losing consciousness.

Paramedics rushed the toddler to Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, where he underwent emergency surgery to clear his lungs. Doctors placed him in an induced coma because he cannot breathe independently and requires breathing tubes. He faces another procedure soon to reposition the tube from his mouth to his nose and allow further lung checks. Medical staff are monitoring his kidneys and liver for potential damage from the dust's copper content, describing the case as rare with an uncertain prognosis.

Robinson told reporters the incident unfolded...