Toddler Gets 24 Stitches On Forehead After Falling On Cracked Tiles In Sengkang HDB Estate

Toddler Needs 24 Stitches After Falling On Cracked Tiles

A two-and-a-half-year-old toddler recently fell on some cracked tiles at a Sengkang HDB estate.

The tiles cut the boy’s forehead, leaving a gaping wound that required 24 stitches.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident happened on Wednesday (31 May) at around 5pm, near the playground next to Block 417A Fernvale Link.

Sharp edges of cracked tiles caused a gaping wound on forehead of toddler

The boy’s mother, Ms Guo Xinli (transliterated from Mandarin), told Shin Min that their helper had accompanied him to the playground while she was getting ready for work.

The boy then accidentally tripped and fell on the walkway near the playground. When he fell, the forehead of the toddler hit some cracked tiles on the ground. The sharp edges of the broken tiles resulted in a gaping wound on his head.

Seeing the injury, the helper immediately carried the boy home.

According to Ms Guo, the gash was about 2cm long. It was so deep that she could see the bone in her son’s forehead.

Boy cried & struggled throughout surgery due to the pain

Ms Guo immediately took leave from work and sent her son to a private hospital for surgery. There, the doctors had to give the boy a total of 24 stitches on his forehead.

As the boy had an ongoing throat infection, the doctors were not able to use much anaesthetic. The boy had to endure the pain for 40 minutes while receiving his stitches.

He was crying loudly and was struggling a lot during the procedure. The nurses and doctors had to physically hold him down to prevent him from moving too much.

“He wailed for 40 minutes, and each cry weighed heavily on my heart. My heart hurt for him,” said Ms Guo.

After the surgery, the boy stayed in the hospital for another two nights for observation. The surgery set Ms Guo back around S$8,400.

She also intends to let her son undergo laser treatment to get rid of his scar after he recovers.

Cracked tiles a safety hazard to residents

Ms Guo said she did not understand why the authorities did not fix the cracked tiles. Hence, she wishes to seek compensation for the medical expenses.

She also hopes they will fix the cracked tiles soon to prevent similar incidents.

Apparently, this was not the first time the cracked tiles posed a danger to the children playing nearby. Other residents Shin Min spoke to noted that the cracked tiles are a safety hazard.

They said they did not notice the cracks until now and are worried that children might trip on them.

Repair works underway, town council to follow up with boy’s mother

Responding to queries from Shin Min, an Ang Mo Kio Town Council spokesperson shared that they have cordoned off the cracked tiles.

Repair works using the appropriate materials are also underway, they said.

The spokesperson also highlighted that they will contact the boy’s mother to follow up on his situation.

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.