National Trauma Registry<\/span><\/a> shows that only 9.9 per cent of child cyclists and 28.1 per cent of adult cyclists were wearing helmets when road traffic accidents occurred.<\/p>\nThe mortality rate for cyclists with helmets is 1.9 per cent, compared with 5.3 per cent for those without helmets.<\/p>\n
The boy had been cycling to his tuition centre in Tampines when he was knocked over by a bus in August 2024.<\/p>\n
He was first taken to Changi General Hospital (CGH) before being transferred to KKH after doctors discovered the brain haemorrhage, which can increase the pressure in the skull and damage the brain.<\/p>\n
This can affect a person\u2019s breathing ability, heart rate and blood pressure, and even leave a person in a permanent vegetative state or cause brain death, said Dr Supranee Mathiprechakul, who was one of the emergency doctors who tended to the boy.<\/p>\n
By the time the boy reached KKH, the haemorrhage had more than doubled in size from the initial scan at CGH.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe head is like a fixed space. If there\u2019s bleeding,\u00a0this causes\u00a0more pressure\u00a0in\u00a0the (skull),\u00a0which can squeeze the brain through\u00a0the base\u00a0opening\u00a0of the skull, where the brain connects to the spinal cord,\u201d Dr Supranee said. \u201cIf important parts of the brain get squeezed, it can cause the patient to stop breathing, stop their heart from beating, or cause brain death.\u201d<\/p>\n
If the brain bleed worsens and puts pressure on the brain, patients might have to undergo a craniotomy, where surgeons cut\u00a0open\u00a0their skull to relieve the pressure.<\/p>\n
Dr Supranee said younger patients tend to be more prone to head injuries as their heads are larger in proportion to their bodies.<\/p>\n
If they are hit by a vehicle and get flung, they tend to fall head first, which leads to a higher chance of head injuries.<\/p>\n
The boy\u2019s mother, Madam Vivian Liau, 43, a civil servant, was at work when CGH called her.<\/p>\n
Her son underwent a brain operation that lasted over three hours, and was hospitalised for nearly two weeks.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI was quite emotional when I saw him in the hospital. I\u2019ve cycled with him on that route before, and reminded him to use the pedestrian crossing, but I didn\u2019t think he would meet with an accident at that very spot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\nMadam Vivian Liau said after surgery her son had difficulty reading and balancing himself. He underwent speech therapy and physiotherapy to regain his balance.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Madam Liau said that after surgery, her son had difficulty reading and balancing himself. He underwent speech therapy and physiotherapy to regain his balance.<\/p>\n
Although brain injuries cannot be reversed, neuroplasticity, which is the brain\u2019s ability to adapt to injury, can help patients regain normal functions, said Dr Supranee.<\/p>\n
As he was unable to sit his PSLE, the boy was posted to a secondary school based on his academic results in Primary 5 and Primary 6. Madam Liau said he is coping well in school.<\/p>\n
Asked about how often children are taken to KKH\u2019s emergency department, Dr Supranee said: \u201cEvery day, I see injured children from road traffic accidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe majority of them suffer minor injuries and can be discharged on the same day. A few of them have to be admitted. The smallest proportion of patients require significant intervention like surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other than head injuries, children who are involved in road traffic accidents might sustain soft tissue injuries that can progress and deteriorate later.<\/p>\n
Dr Supranee said this is because children\u2019s bones are more pliable and less likely to break. However, the impact can cause soft tissue injuries that are not discovered until the child\u2019s condition deteriorates.<\/p>\n
She added that cyclists on footpaths and park connectors can also suffer serious injuries.<\/p>\n
Dr Supranee said: \u201cWe are seeing more cases of teenagers who go road biking. Some go at 20kmh to 30kmh, so when they fall, they can get facial, spinal or abdominal injuries. When a bicycle handlebar hits the abdomen, it can cause lacerations in the liver and the spleen, which can lead to significant bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n
She urged parents to get safety gear such as helmets and proper footwear for their children as these can reduce the severity of injuries.<\/p>\n
If a child gets into an accident, parents should call for an ambulance and not move the child unnecessarily as this might worsen any possible injuries.<\/p>\n
And parents and caregivers should always remain vigilant when crossing the road.<\/p>\n
Dr Supranee said: \u201cFor younger children, it\u2019s important to have enough adults around because it can be difficult for one adult to look out for three children (at once).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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