China Shocker: 10-Month-Old Baby Hospitalised With 600+ Needle Marks; Mother Pricked Him For "Misbehaviour"

A 10-month-old baby was rushed to a hospital in China after hundreds of needle marks were found on his body, amid allegations that his mother had pricked him multiple times. The South China Morning Post reports that a video related to the child's treatment was shared on a Chinese social media page by a spine surgeon, Dr. Cui Wenyuan.

Dr. Cui Wenyuan is an attending doctor at the Spine Centre of Xinhua Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. He stated that a 10-month-old baby boy was admitted to the pediatrics department of the People's Hospital in Mojiang County last December with fever and seizures. 

The report says about 600 needle marks were found all over his body. The baby's body, including the soles of his feet, behind his ears, and on his head, was covered in needle marks. 

An examination revealed a broken piece of a needle was lodged in the child's neck. The baby underwent emergency spinal surgery, and the doctor reported that the child's health improved after the operation.

Mother pricked toddler multiple times

During the investigation, Cui learned that whenever the child misbehaved or had a cold, cough or fever, his mother, surnamed Dao, would prick him with needles to draw blood. She did it as a punishment or as a traditional home remedy. 

The investigation team reportedly found that whenever the child showed discomfort, the mother subjected him to a traditional folk "acupuncture" treatment. It is estimated that the child may have been pricked with a needle about 500 to 600 times.

When brought to the hospital, the child had a high fever, possibly due to rust from the needle. Three to four days after the surgery, the child's temperature dropped. The report states that the child was then moved from the intensive care unit to the ward. 

Meanwhile, social media users have demanded severe punishment for the mother and that the child be moved to a safe environment.