Baby survives fall from third floor
CHENNAI: An eight-month- old girl survived a fall from the third floor of Express Avenue after she slipped off her father's arm, leaving onlookers spellbound on Sunday evening. The baby suffered no serious injuries, but for minor bruises on her cheek.
On Monday, Susai Mary, dressed in a peach dress, held on to her mother as doctors at the neurological ward of the Government General Hospital ran routine checks. Doctors said she did not have any apparent problem, but they had kept her for observation for two days. "When we first sent her for a scan, we were not sure of the results. But the CT scan results were normal. So were the x-ray and blood reports. The baby is a little irritable, but is otherwise fine," said Government General Hospital dean Dr V Kanagasabai.
Genelia, calledGeni by her parents, had gone on an outing with her parents Charles S, a 33-year-old painter, and Sakhila, a homemaker.Geni is the couple's second daughter. "We had some guests at home and the children were restless at home. So we thought we would take them to the mall. It was so crowded. I hadGeniin my arms and I was going from the second floor to the third floor on the escalator.Geniwas visibly excited with the lights around and she was bouncing. Suddenly she fell off from my hands and landed on the ground," said Charles, his voice still shivering. Their screams attracted the attention of people on the ground floor. "By the time we could go down, the security staff in the mall picked up the child and gave it to us," he said.
Genikept crying. The mall staff called for an ambulance and she was rushed to the Institute of Child Health, Egmore around 7.30pm. In the emergency room, doctors ran preliminary tests and said the child was out of danger. "But as a precaution, we sent her to the GH for a CT scan," said a duty doctor. Pediatricians on duty said the baby had had a "miraculous escape." Records from several hospitals in city show at least 80% of the children admitted to trauma wards are those who had fallen from heights. While some children die, many suffer injuries that may stun their grown or make them disabled for life. "Children in the age group of six months to five years are at a higher risk and are likely to suffer head injuries than older children. In this age group, they are curious. They bend down the parapet walls to see what's happening on the ground. If they fall, it can be disastrous," said Dr Indira Jayakumar of Apollo Children's Hospital. Experts recommend that parapets should be at least four feet high to prevent such accidents. Express Avenue ground supervisor Raju denied knowledge of any such accident.
source: timesofindia.com
ÜT: 19.087244,72.872297 
Joined Nov 2009 
