A two-and-a-half-year-old boy is fighting for his life after falling from a flat on the 10th floor of Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin.
At around 11 am on Tuesday, police received a report from a woman living at Chuk Chuen House of Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin that her 2.5-year-old son fell from their residence.
The boy was conscious when the rescuers arrived. He was sent to Prince of Wales Hospital for further examination. He was in critical condition on Tuesday evening.
Sources said that the boy fell from a window with laundry racks. Fortunately, a slope of underbrush right under the window saved his life.
Peter Pang Kai-mau, an emergency doctor, said that the proportion of a 2.5-year-old child's body was different from that of adults: "Their heads were heavier."
"When falling from a height, their heads must be hit first," Pang said. "As their skulls are not fully developed, as if a balloon fell to the ground, their skull may not be injured, but the impact may shock to the brain plasma, causing serious concussion and bleeding."
He explained that the situation was like Shaken Baby Syndrome, where people mistakenly shake the baby during play, causing concussion without surface injuries.
He expected that medical staff would conduct a full-body and brain scan to ensure the boy had no organ damage and internal bleeding. He will also monitor the boy's physical condition, adding that the first four hours after the fall are the most critical.
