Katie Robinson Details 14-Month-Old's Creative Cake Decorating Recall Injury

Katie Robinson said her 14-month-old son, Dustin "Dusty" Wildman, is still in Queensland Children's Hospital after a creative cake decorating recall incident that began while she was baking a Bluey-themed birthday cake. She said he inhaled and ingested gold dust powder, fell unconscious and needed emergency surgery to clear his lungs.

Robinson said on May 14 that Dusty was awake and alert, making progress each day, but still needed a feeding tube because he would not take a bottle yet. She also said he had started asthma therapy.

Dusty Wildman and the powder

Robinson said Dusty grabbed a container of gold dust powder and pulled off the cap with his teeth. "Within seconds, he had pulled the cap off with his teeth and inhaled and ingested it at the same time," she said.

Rochelle Evrard wrote in a GoFundMe for the family that "When the dust is mixed with water, it turns to paste — so it immediately blocked Dusty's lungs. He went unresponsive." Dusty was then taken for emergency surgery to clear the substance from his lungs.

Queensland Children's Hospital care

Dusty remains at Queensland Children's Hospital after the surgery, and Robinson said doctors are telling the family he will likely have a lifelong injury to his lungs. "He will need physio and probably an Occupational Therapist. Doctors are saying he will likely have a lifelong injury to his lungs," she said, adding, "but we're hoping he proves them wrong."

She also said, "He is definitely a fighter."

Katie Robinson's recovery update

The family is staying at a local Ronald McDonald House while Dusty receives care, and Evrard said the GoFundMe set up to support them has since been paused. For the family, the immediate issue is managing Dusty's recovery while he continues treatment in hospital and works toward taking a bottle again.