Mother
blames skates for girls death
The Nation, Published on
Jan 22, 2004
The mother
of a nineyearold girl who died yesterday of a brain
haemorrhage said the injury was sustained while her
daughter was riding on skating shoes.
Samlee
Rassameesai, 37, said her daughter, Patima Lateb,
probably suffered the injury after falling while wearing
the skates. She said the girl might have been saved
if she had told her about the accident.
The girl,
a Grade 3 student at Klong Song School in Pathum Thani,
was pronounced dead at 8am yesterday at Nopparat Ratchathani
Hospital.
Samlee
said her daughter complained of a headache when she
returned from school at 4pm on Tuesday. She was rushed
to hospital after vomiting and fainting.
The girl
was sent for a brain scan at Kasemrat Hospital, where
she was diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage. She was
returned to Nopparat Ratchathani, but doctors could
not save her.
Samlee
said her daughter could have been treated earlier
if she had told her about her skating accident.
Her uncle
bought her a pair of skates a month ago after she
saw other children with them, Samlee said.
I want
to warn parents to monitor their childrens activities.
Children are reluctant to tell parents about their
falls for fear it will interfere with their fun.
Doctors
did not perform an autopsy out of respect for the
parents Islamic faith, which requires burial within
24 hours of death.
Skating
shoes have become a big hit with children, but some
department stores have banned them following accidents
and customer complaints.
Chaiyasit
Saengthaweesin, an obstetrician at the Childrens
Hospital, said skating shoes had become a new danger,
particularly for Bangkok children.
We see
lots of children playing on skates in department stores.
Parents may not see the danger, but children need
proper training before using the shoes. They should
play in safe areas and wear helmets, Chaiyasit said.
Dr Adisak
Palitpolkarnpim, a researcher into childrens injuries,
said it was possible the girl might have had a brain
defect. While he doubted children could go fast enough
on skates to sustain deadly injuries, he said the
skating shoes were very dangerous nonetheless.
Anuwat
Thomthat, secretarygeneral of the Office of the Consumers
Protection Board, said the girls mother could file
a complaint with the office against the shoe manufacturer
if she thought her daughter had died because of a
defect in the skating shoes.
He said
product liability laws required manufacturers to take
responsibility for injuries or death caused as a result
of the use of their products.
Jaral Pupat,
vice president of Seacon Square shopping mall, said
the mall erected warning signs and banned children
from riding on escalators with skating shoes. He said
the mall deployed security officers to tell children
to skate in a designated area.
Napanisa
Kaewmorakot
Noppadol
Srithaweekard
The Nation
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