Boy, 4, impaled on knife in dishwasher

MELBOURNE - A four-year-old boy has been impaled on a steak knife after he lost his balance and toppled over into an open dishwasher.

The boy and his mother had been visiting a home in Melbourne's eastern suburbs when he fell backwards, landing on the cutlery drawer where a sharp steak knife had been placed with the blade facing up.

The knife cut through the boy's arm as his shocked mother quickly pulled the knife out and used a tea towel to stop the bleeding.

Paramedics arrived at the Warranwood home just after 3pm (AEDT) on Thursday and took the boy to the Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition.

The freak accident is a reminder of the risks around dishwashers, especially when knives are placed blade up and left open around children, said Ambulance Victoria paramedic Angela Iliopoulos.

"We would also advise people to leave foreign objects like knives or nails in place if they have pierced through the skin," she said in a statement.

"Pulling them out can cause more serious injuries and lead to serious blood loss."

- AAP