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Some 45 students and five staff fell ill after a bout of suspected food poisoning at the MindChamps pre-school in Tanglin.

Four children have been hospitalised for treatment.

A four-year-old girl was hospitalised for a week, exhibiting symptoms, such as bloating and diarrhoea.

She was unable to eat and needed to be put on an intravenous drip.

This comes days after 32 individuals, comprising 28 students and four staff members, at a MindChamps pre-school in Changi Airport Terminal 3 reportedly developed gastroenteritis symptoms between May 17 and 29.

Four-year-old suffered 40°C fever

Ma Jingwen (name transliterated from Chinese), 34, told Shin Min that a teacher had contacted her on May 25 saying that her daughter was running a fever.

Ma rushed to the pre-school to pick her daughter up.

When she checked her temperature, she discovered that her daughter was suffering from a 40°C fever.

She called a taxi to bring her daughter to the hospital, where the girl was then admitted for about a week.

The four-year-old was given fever medication until her temperature was brought from 40°C to 38°C.

Ma and her husband took turns taking care of their daughter, who was so exhausted from the illness that she had little strength left to even cry, much less converse, the mother said.

The mother said there was a point when her child could not eat without vomiting, and when her child did eat, her stomach would swell.

Her daughter was kept on antibiotics, glucose and saline solutions.

Her condition took a turn for the better subsequently, and Ma was told that her daughter could be discharged.

This was some five days after her fever broke.

Pre-school should have managed situation better: parents

Ma said the pre-school on May 25 afternoon had informed parents that there were at least nine children exhibiting similar symptoms in her daughter's class.

The pre-school apparently chalked the situation up to stomach flu.

The number of those affected, as tallied by the pre-school, was also apparently disclosed to be fewer than the number that parents understood were affected.

Some children were said to have been exhibiting signs of food poisoning on May 25, but the pre-school notified parents of the cases and opened an investigation only on May 28, Ma told Shin Min.

She said she had spent around S$3,000 to S$4,000 on her daughter's hospitalisation fees.

However, what irked her the most was the pre-school's attitude, she said.

She claimed that she was repeatedly kept in the dark about the whole situation by the pre-school, and that the pre-school had issued the notification too late.

Although the food poisoning might be the fault of the pre-school's food provider, Ma said she felt that if parents were to entrust their children to the pre-school, the pre-school must also take responsibility for their children's wellbeing.

"I hope that the pre-school can issue an explanation behind the food poisonings and compensate the parents. I also hope the pre-school issues an apology to parents," Ma said.

Initially hopeful and approving of MindChamp's teaching methods, she trusted the brand and enrolled her daughter into the pre-school, the parent said.

However, the pre-school's handling of this incident eroded her trust, she said.

If the pre-school still lacked accountability, Ma said she intends to transfer her daughter to another pre-school that other parents have recommended to her.

Another mother who refused to be named told Shin Min that her daughter returned home from pre-school on Wednesday (May 24), and fell ill with a fever and diarrhoea that evening.

She returned to school when her fever subsided, but had to be sent home halfway due to a stomachache.

Concerned about the situation, the parent then contacted the pre-school in hopes of getting the pre-school to foster better communication between it and parents.

However, the pre-school apparently did not comply until the parent threatened to call the police.

Four children have been hospitalised: pre-school

On May 28, the pre-school issued a notification to parents, clarifying that since May 25, 45 children and five teachers have exhibited symptoms of food poisoning.

Amongst the children, four have been hospitalised.

Their conditions have been improving, and some of the children have already returned to school.

It was suspected the the children suffered from viral gastroenteritis, an infection caused by a variety of viruses that results in vomiting or diarrhoea.

The pre-school said it was monitoring the situation closely.

Days after another outbreak at Changi Airport Terminal 3

Previously, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred between May 17 and 29 at a MindChamps pre-school in Changi Airport Terminal 3, Straits Times reported.

A total of 28 students and four staff members were affected, but none were hospitalised.

Speaking to Mothership, the Singapore Food Agency said it is currently investigating the two cases.

Top photo via Shin Min and Mindchamps