Doctors were left in shock when they initially believed a 9-month-old baby had an unusual growth in his mouth, only to later discover it was a toy that had gotten lodged there. The mother was completely stunned by the discovery.

The doctors were unsure about the object in young Max Steiner’s mouth until they managed to remove it.

Rowan Steiner, a 30-year-old mother from Utah, USA, noticed a strange lump in her 9-month-old son Max’s mouth while changing his diaper. After hearing Max cry, she quickly took him to the doctor, who couldn’t identify the lump and suspected it could be a growth.

Max was referred to specialists, but the blue lump in his mouth left doctors puzzled. They initially thought it could be a growth caused by an abnormal blood vessel.

Before moving forward with further tests, another doctor suggested that the object might not be a medical issue but rather something foreign lodged in the mouth. After further examination, the doctors carefully inspected the lump using dental tools and discovered it was actually part of a toy Max’s mother had bought for him.

Rowan recalled, "The lead doctor used a tool to gently pry open the lump, and it came out quickly, with a bit of bleeding, because it was wedged so tightly in my son’s gums."

She added, "The area around it was so swollen that it was hard to even see the edge of the toy. It had been so tightly lodged that it wouldn’t move, even when touched."

"The doctors had mentioned all day that it could be a toy, and I was open to that idea since I have five children, and babies at that age often put things in their mouths."

She admitted that while it had crossed her mind that it might be a toy, she never expected the relief of finding out the truth. It turned out to be the best possible scenario after fearing it could be something much worse.

Rowan, her partner, and some doctors had handled the object multiple times before the lead doctor finally removed it and confirmed it was a toy.

Relieved that it wasn’t a growth and her son wasn’t in danger of choking, Rowan shared a safety tip: "Be extra cautious, especially with young children. Even though the toys we buy are affordable and from trusted sources, it’s important to check them regularly to ensure they’re still safe to use."