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Real Life Stories
These are some real life anecdotal cases encountered in the Children's Emergency of KK Hospital and emergency departments of other hospitals.

"These are just a few representative cases. We see many more cases of childhood injuries everyday."

Dr Angelina Ang
Consultant Paediatrician, Children's Emergency
KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Vice-Chairman, Management Committee, Child Safety Centre

 

Baby

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 A father was carrying his 1-month-old baby who was crying impatiently for his milk. In his hurry to prepare milk for the baby, he tripped and fell, together with the baby. The baby sustained internal head bleeding as a result of the fall.
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 A 3-month-old baby sustained head injury when his sarong cradle gave way. He fell to the concrete floor and the metal fixtures attached to the sarong cradle gave way and landed on his face, causing some facial contusions as well.
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 A mother was preparing the bath water in a sink to clean her baby's buttocks. Unnoticed by her, the older 5-year-old brother had turned on the hot water tap of the basin. She placed the baby into the hot water without testing the temperature of the water. The baby sustained severe scald burns on his buttocks and legs. She required prolonged stay in hospital.

Toddler
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A 2-year-old girl sustained head injury when her pram toppled and she fell backwards. She was admitted for close monitoring in the Neurosurgical ward.

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 A 2-year-old was found with a bottle of children's paracetamol almost empty and some of the medication in her mouth. She had obtained the pink bottle of sweet tasting medicine from the fridge. She was treated for suspected paracetamol overdose. Ingestion of more than 150 mg/kg of paracetamol can be toxic and can cause liver and kidney damage.
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 A 2-year-old boy was admitted for wheezing and breathlessness. His parents could not give a good history and were not aware of the child's medical condition. His condition deteriorated and air was found to have leaked from the lungs to the skin surrounding the chest (subcutaneous emphysema). Further investigations under bronchoscopy under anaesthesia showed a peanut in the main airways (bronchus). The child had choked while eating peanuts causing a partial airway obstruction.
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 A mother poured hot boiling water into a milk bottle to prepare some milk. She left the bottle of water to cool down on a table. When she was not looking, her toddler took the bottle and took a sip of the hot water. The boy sustained severe scald burns in his mouth and throat.
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A 3-year-old boy and his younger sister were found with abnormal involuntary, jerky movements. The children were admitted to the Children's Intensive Care Unit and treated with antidotes and gut decontamination for accidental poisoning. The girl developed potentially fatal heart rhythm abnormalities.

Nobody witnessed the children taking the medication. But their uncle mentioned that some brightly coloured blue pills - their grandmother's medication for her mental illness - were placed within reach of the children.

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 A 3-year-old fell from the second storey window of a block of flats. He was brought to the Children's Emergency miraculously and relatively unhurt and stable. He was wearing a Batman T-shirt with a cape attached!
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 A 3-year-old girl was seen by the family doctors several times for a persistent yellow, foul smelling right nasal discharge for a few months. She finally presented at the Children's Emergency. After nasal suctioning using special ENT equipment, a rolled up piece of sponge, which she had inserted into her nose some months ago, was detected. This foreign object was removed with forceps and she had to be treated for the superimposed infection.
 
Older Children
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 A 7-year-old girl fell from her double decker bed while having a bad dream. She required admission to the Paediatric Surgical ward for suspected spleen injury.
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 An 8-year-old girl was hit in the eye with a friend's catapult. She sustained corneal laceration and bleeding in the eye and had decreased visual acuity as a result of the injury.
•
 A 10-year-old boy was playing with a $1 coin while watching TV. He laughed so much while watching the programme that he accidentally swallowed the $1 coin he had placed in his mouth.
Useful links:
Safety at Home | Car Safety | Child Safety Centre | Hazards | Childhood Injuries
Children's Emergency I Objects In The Ear I Swallowed Objects
Preparing Your Child For Healthcare Experiences