Toddler suffers horrific gash on forehead after tripping over teacher's foot, leaving bone exposed

As a parent, it's distressing to receive a call from the school informing you that your child has been injured. 

So, you can imagine how devastated one mother, surnamed Shen, felt when she got a call from her child's kindergarten telling her that her daughter had a bad fall.  

The incident happened last Friday (May 12) at Brighton Montessori kindergarten located along River Valley Road, reported Shin Min Daily News. 

Speaking to the Chinese daily, a spokesperson from the kindergarten said the 18-month-old girl had tripped over her teacher's foot and knocked her head against a wooden chair. 

The teacher reportedly tried to catch the child but failed. 

The girl was then left with a gash in the middle of her forehead, so deep that the bone was visible. 

Her mother said she was shocked upon receiving the news. 

"I didn't know that my daughter had injured her forehead until I received a call from the kindergarten," she told the Chinese daily. 

When Shen reached the school, she found that the bleeding had stopped and her daughter's skirt and fingers were all covered with blood. 

Ended up with $13k hospital bill 

A teacher and the principal gave the child first aid and brought her to a nearby clinic.

However, the child was subsequently referred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital where she received stitches for her wound. 

The total hospital bill came up to $13,000, and the kindergarten subsequently reported the incident to the Early Childhood Development Administration (ECDA).

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the kindergarten confirmed the incident which occurred on May 12, and said that their teaching staff and principal also attended to the child and administered first aid.

"The child was later conveyed to the nearest clinic by our principal. Our principal and the child's parents subsequently brought the child to Mount Elizabeth hospital for further treatment (namely, stitches)," said a Brighton Montessori spokesperson.

The school said it will continue to work with ECDA and provide all information necessary for a full investigation.

"Throughout the incident, the proper teacher-to-child ratio has been maintained. All furniture used, including the preschool chair involved in the incident, are age appropriate and conform to industry practices," added the spokesperson. 

On the issue of compensation and reimbursement of medical costs, the parents of the child did raise multiple requests for payment, said the school.

"We did inform the parents to keep us in the loop for the expenses made, so that we can discuss the issue of medical fees subsequently. In this regard, we have already reached out to the parents," said the spokesperson. 

In response to AsiaOne's queries, ECDA said it is aware of the incident and is investigating the case.

In a separate incident that happened in March, a six-year-old boy broke his arm after tripping over a hole at a playground. 

The boy was sent to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for treatment and an X-ray showed that apart from his broken bone, some other bones in his left arm had also dislocated. 

He underwent surgery and had three steel fixtures inserted into his arm to aid the bones' recovery. In total, the medical fees added up to $9,900. 

ALSO READ: 7-year-old boy suffers multiple injuries after being dragged under school bus

melissateo@asiaone.com