'He was crying non-stop': Mum demands compensation from enrichment centre after son returns home with broken teeth

Like many parents, this mother decided to send her child for enrichment classes during the recent school holidays to keep him occupied.

However, he reportedly ended up with broken teeth and exposed nerves after his second lesson, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Wu, who was heartbroken to see her eight-year-old son in that condition, said that the injuries even affected his ability to chew his food properly.

"He was crying non-stop when the teacher brought him back, and that was when the teacher told me that he had broken his front teeth at the playground," recalled Wu. 

According to the Chinese daily, the 44-year-old housewife then immediately brought her son to a dental clinic.

Unfortunately, the majority of her son's permanent front teeth were broken, and one of them even had exposed tooth nerves, reported the Chinese daily.

This accident reportedly cost Wu $1,000 in medical fees and her son will also have to avoid certain foods so as not to put pressure on the broken teeth.

Wu had sent her son to Little Earth Education Centre for a holiday programme, and the incident happened during his second lesson. 

She said that when she approached the centre for compensation, they allegedly claimed that the insurance only covered long-term students.

"We asked the education centre for a refund of the remaining classes, and they agreed but they have yet to return us back our money," Wu told Shin Min.

Wu added that her son can only undergo a dental implant surgery when he turns 21. As for now, a filling was the only option, she said.

The injury could have been less severe if her son managed to receive treatment early.

"After researching online, we found out that if we took the correct action and had gone to the dentist without delay, perhaps the broken teeth could be treated, but it was already late," said Wu.

Centre says boy went elsewhere to play

She later accused the teacher of sitting on the swing at the playground using her phone and that the centre did not inform his parents immediately. 

The centre, however, claimed that the accident occurred when Wu's son went somewhere else to play without anyone knowing, and the teacher was taking care of other children.

By the time they found out about his injury, it was already too late.

As for the compensation, the centre said that they will only refund the remaining $539 class fee and pay her $500 for the incident.

"The injury of children is inevitable, we are very sorry and have responded actively [to the accident]," responded Little Earth Education Centre when interviewed by Shin Min.

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celest.tham@asiaone.com