A quick, terrible decision left a little kid with a life-long injury. In Ruichang, Jiangxi Province, a 5-year-old boy was poked in the eye at kindergarten. Instead of rushing him to a doctor, staff used pig lard on the wound. The result: a severe infection and permanent loss of vision in that eye.
What happened
During play, the child’s eye was accidentally injured by a classmate. The teacher saw the wound but did not get medical help right away. According to the family, the teacher smeared pig lard on the injured eye to “reduce swelling.” The wound then infected badly. Doctors later said the damage could not be undone.
Medical and practical fallout
The boy has already had at least one surgery and will likely need more. He will also need long-term rehabilitation and special support at school. The family says the road ahead is long — emotionally and financially. The kindergarten reportedly paid about ¥270,000 (around US$37k) toward medical bills, but the parents say that’s not nearly enough for all future care.
What officials say
Local education authorities have stepped in and held mediation meetings between the family and the school. The education bureau says it has mediated multiple times and will keep coordinating the case. The family is considering legal action.
Why people are angry (and with good reason)
First, staff at schools are expected to act fast and call medical help. Second, applying an unproven home remedy to a fresh eye wound is not just wrong — it’s dangerous. This case raised sharp questions about training, emergency procedures, and oversight at childcare centres. Parents and netizens are rightly demanding answers.
Bigger picture — not just one teacher
This isn’t only about one bad choice. It’s a system problem when caregivers at licensed schools either lack medical first-aid training or ignore protocols. If quick, proper action had been taken, the outcome might have been different. Now the family has to fight for compensation and for the kind of support the child will need for years.
My point of view
This hurts to read. Kids are tiny humans who rely on adults to protect them. When adults panic or reach for folk remedies instead of calling an ambulance, the child pays the price. Schools must do three things, immediately:
- Train every staff member on basic first aid — especially eye injuries.
- Make calling emergency services the default; no “home remedy” experiments.
- Have transparent incident logs and immediate family notification rules.
Also: a one-off payout isn’t justice here. The child will need lifelong care, psychological support, and proper schooling adjustments. Accountability should match the harm — both to prevent repeat events and to provide the family real help.
