Hospital forced to make changes after toddler’s meningitis death
11.01.11
IPSWICH Hospital has today admitted at an inquest that they made changes to their practices in light of the death of a two-year-old girl from meningitis.
Rhianna Warner from Ipswich died on New Year's Eve 2009 at Ipswich Hospital. The youngster had developed a high temperature and when she started shivering, her parents took her to the Riverside clinic.
Concerned at her high temperature doctors referred her to the Heath Road hospital. She was discharged at 2am on December 31 2009 after presenting with fever in the middle of the night. Although her temperature was high, it was starting to come down, an inquest heard.
After taking her home and going to bed her mum Danielle Watchman noticed a rash on her daughter's body and Rhianna was taken back to hospital to the accident and emergency department by 7.27am.
The inquest heard how the two-year-old went into cardiac arrest in A&E and was revived before a second cardiac arrest. Rhianna died at 10.04am - around 12 hours after first seeing doctors.
Coroner Dr Peter Dean told the inquest held at IP-City today that the cause of Rhianna's death was meningococcal septicaemia.
He said: "We need to look in terms of the management of the case and if anything could have been done differently in the circumstances."
Dr Dean said in summary it would have been wiser to admit Rhianna due to the time of her discharge. If she had been admitted the chance of detecting her worsening symptoms would have been greater. She developed a widespread rash by 7.27am when her parents took her back to A&E and had the rash been noticed, antibiotics would have been given, it was heard.
Dr Pravin Desai, consultant paediatrician, agreed. However he said it is impossible to know if the outcome would have been different.
Meningitis UK comment:
Steve Dayman, the chief executive of Meningitis UK who lost his own son to the disease in 1982, was in Ipswich today to give a talk to parents.
He said: "It's always worrying to hear about cases where lives might have been saved.
"It's of some reassurance that practices have been changed at Ipswich Hospital in light of Rhianna's death but this will come as little consolation to her family.
"All medical professionals know that the sooner antibiotics are administered the better the chances of survival are.
"Meningitis can kill in less than four hours so our advice is to keep suspected cases in hospital for observation.
"Everyone should be aware of the difference between the common symptoms of meningitis and those that may exist with meningococcal septicaemia.
"Often if a child isn't complaining of a headache or a stiff neck then meningitis is dismissed but these symptoms don't occur with meningococcal septicaemia, which is what Rhianna had.
"Meningitis should always be a major consideration because early diagnosis and hospital treatment can mean the difference between life and death."
The meningococcal bacteria can cause two distinct forms of the disease - meningitis (infection of the meninges that surround the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning). Meningococcal septicaemia and meningococcal meningitis can occur together or separately.
Classic symptoms of meningococcal meningitis are a headache, stiff neck and a dislike of bright light. Other symptoms can include difficulty supporting own weight, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea and confusion and drowsiness.
Common symptoms of meningococcal septicaemia include aching limbs, cold hands and feet and a rash which starts like pin prick marks and develops rapidly into purple bruising.
Not everyone gets all the symptoms, and they can appear in any order. Children under five and those aged 15 to 25 are most at risk, particularly those who have recently suffered from a cold or flu.
Meningitis UK is dedicated to funding vaccine research to eradicate the disease through its Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign.
Although successful vaccines exist to protect against some strains, there is still no vaccine available to protect against the most common form – meningococcal group B.
Meningitis UK is offering the public free symptoms information packs to help raise awareness. These include a leaflet with all the facts and frequently asked questions, plus a 'Check the Symptoms' fridge magnet and a handy wallet-sized symptoms card.
To order your free symptoms information pack, please call 0117 373 73 73 or visit www.meningitisUK.org
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
Comments
Comments are temporarily closed for this article