“No one seems to know how a 4-year-old boy injured his mouth in CPE to the point where his gums were perforated,” complains a Montreal mother who filed a complaint with the Family Ministry.
“Is my son safe? If he had fallen on his head and suffered a concussion, would they have seen him? asks Synthia Jones, 25.
She was very scared when her son came home from daycare on January 16th with a busted lip and a bruised gum.
Jessy Jones, 4 years old, attended the Early Childhood Center (CPE) at La Claire Fontaine in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
No incidents were reported that day, according to messages entered into the parent communication application.
Dentist urgently consulted
However, the dentist consulted the next day found that the impact had been enough to perforate the gums and that the bleeding must have been severe, explains Ms Jones.
In the note, seen by Le Journal, we can read that there were “facial swelling”, “dysphagia” (difficulty swallowing) and “dyspnea” (difficulty breathing).
The boy's injured gums, photographed that same evening. Photo Synthia Jones
Jessy will also need to take antibiotics and be monitored every 15 days for 3 months. If the infection persists, his paddles will need to be removed, Ms Jones adds.
“Whether he falls or gets injured is normal. They are children. But why hasn’t anyone called me? asks Ms. Jones.
According to the timid explanations she was able to get from the boy himself, the incident occurred in the morning when he was playing outside. So he would have had to endure his pain all day without anyone noticing.
It was a friend who noticed Jessy's lip bleeding and the staff saw the cold pop.
No sign
For their part, the management of the CPE explains that there was no evidence in the daycare center that Jessy had been seriously injured. If this is the case, educators do not hesitate to file an incident report, assures director Najlaa Bennis.
“There were no signs, no crying, no heavy bleeding. “The child ate and didn’t complain,” she explains.
The waterfall itself ensures that children are visible at all times when they are playing in the garden. “But an educator can turn her back on it. “That can happen,” she adds.
The two CPE buildings in La Claire Fontaine, on Rue Hochelaga. Photo Dominique Scali
Synthia Jones has decided to lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Family Affairs with written confirmation. Jessy has not returned to CPE since.
“I find it boring,” admits the one who praises the experience of the educator and the qualities of this CPE. “But if it’s not safe, what’s it worth?” asks Ms. Jones.
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