Jayden had to have a 10cm long piece of bone removed after he was hit on the head by an irrigator machine. Photo / Supplied, Star News
Jayden had to have a 10cm long piece of bone removed after he was hit on the head by an irrigator machine. Photo / Supplied, Star News
A Canterbury boy is facing a long recovery after being seriously injured by a lawn irrigator while playing in a park.
Ten-year-old Jayden had to have a 10cm long piece of bone removed after he was hit on his head by a rotating arm from the machine, fracturing his skulland causing a bleed on his brain.
He was visiting the playground at Southbridge Domain, south of Christchurch, with his grandmother Angela Slade and 8-year-old cousin Emily when the incident happened.
Slade said the visit to the park suddenly became a life-and-death situation after Jayden was attracted to water around the travelling roto-rainer irrigator in hot weather.
He slipped but then stood up and was struck in the head.
Slade said she had earlier pointed out to the children a single caution sign nearby saying ‘Potentially Dangerous Equipment’, but this had obviously not been enough to keep Jayden away.
The Selwyn District Council has parked up its roto rainer irrigator at Southbridge Domain since the accident. Photo / Supplied, Star News
Jayden was in extreme pain after the accident and began vomiting. He was taken to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance.
Mum Sarah Whittaker said doctors at first thought he had severe concussion, but they were as surprised as she was when a CT scan showed a depressed skull fracture and bleed on the brain.
Last week he had a craniotomy, where a 10cm long piece of bone from his forehead was removed and replaced with a plate.
A sign at the park that warns dangerous machinery is in use. Photo / Supplied, Star News
He may have to have more surgeries to replace the plate as he grows.
Jayden was discharged at the weekend, and is expected to make a full recovery.
But that recovery will be slow as he suffers the head injury effects of fatigue, headaches, irritability and light sensitivity.
He will be at school only part-time throughout term one.
Jayden is facing a long recovery after being seriously injured by the lawn irrigator. Photo / Supplied, Star News
Whittaker said she was glad to hear the Selwyn District Council had removed all such irrigators from operation in parks and reserves.
She said while the caution sign had been pointed out to Jayden, he would not have absorbed the information due to a learning disability and dyslexia.
“I don’t want it to happen to anybody else,” she said.
Selwyn District Council group manager infrastructure and property Murray Washington said while in operation the irrigator had three caution signs “placed at different points around the reserve to alert people approaching from different directions”.
“This type of irrigator is common in rural areas and has been used by the council for around 30 years without incident to our knowledge,” Washington said.
“We plan to replace them with modern technology water cannon-type irrigators, which will minimise any future risk to the public.”
