Momtezuma Tuatara
18-03-09, 09:50 AM
As far as I know, you don't get swelling around the neck (bull neck) with croup. Ludwig's angina, (very rare in kids) and diphtheria are usually the two main suspects, so I'd really like to see the bacteriology/toxicology results for this child. Presuming that they test for diphtheroids... and gram negs.
(Bull neck is usually a sign of high levels of exotoxin in the body, which is where, as a parent, you would want to shovel in vitamin C if you could.)
http://www.theage.com.au/national/child-died-after-hospitals-sent-him-home-three-times-20090316-8zwi.html?page=-1
Child died after hospitals sent him home three times
Sarah-Jane Collins
March 17, 2009
http://images.theage.com.au/2009/03/16/419931/svWOOD-200x0.jpg Timothy Wood.
TIMOTHY Wood's parents knew something was terribly wrong with their son, but they could not get the help they were sure he needed.
Desperately straining for air and with swelling around his neck, the 19-month-old was sent home from hospital on July 16, 2005, for the third time in four days. The next afternoon, he was rushed back to hospital, where he died two days later.
Anthony and Robyn Wood hope a coronial inquest will give them some answers.
Their solicitor Kathryn Booth, of Maurice Blackburn, said outside the Victorian Coroners Court yesterday: "Mr and Mrs Wood have been waiting a very long time to have this inquest and it's been important to them to get answers as to why Timmy died after three presentations to two different hospitals."
Mr Wood said: "The last thing we want to have happen is the same thing happen to another child — it was bad enough to go through it.
"You're not meant to outlive your children and it will be something that we will take to our grave."
In statements tendered to the court, Mr Wood said he believed the Austin Hospital should have done things differently when he took his son there on July 16, 2005.
"I do not believe that Timothy should have been discharged from the hospital that evening," he said.
"The medical staff was not in a position to accurately diagnose the extent of Timothy's problem or make a decision to discharge him as he had not been closely monitored and examined during his time at the hospital."
Giving evidence, Mr Wood was even more direct.
"We thought the observation levels (at the Austin Hospital) were pathetic. They weren't there," he said.
Timmy became sick on Thursday, July 14, 2005. By about 2am on the Friday, his breathing was badly restricted and his parents called an ambulance.
He was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital, where he was diagnosed with croup, observed for four hours and given medication before being sent home.
On the Saturday morning, the Woods were still concerned and took him back.
When they saw the triage nurse they were told if they waited in emergency for a doctor it would be unlikely that the treatment plan would change.
They went home, but Timmy did not improve and they called a 24-hour maternal health nurse help line.
The nurse could hear Timmy's laboured breathing and told Mr Wood to call an ambulance immediately and prepare for an overnight stay.
But when they got to the Austin hospital — the Royal Children's was full — Timmy was not admitted. Instead, he was given more medication and sent home.
The next day, he stopped breathing. Mr Wood administered CPR until an ambulance arrived and Timmy was rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital, where he died two days later.
Mr Wood wrote in a letter to the coroner in August 2005: "It was said to us by some of the (intensive care unit) team at the Royal Children's Hospital that they are amazed that a child can die from croup these days.
"The Austin Hospital and medical team simply let us down."
The inquest, before coroner David Drake, continues.
(Bull neck is usually a sign of high levels of exotoxin in the body, which is where, as a parent, you would want to shovel in vitamin C if you could.)
http://www.theage.com.au/national/child-died-after-hospitals-sent-him-home-three-times-20090316-8zwi.html?page=-1
Child died after hospitals sent him home three times
Sarah-Jane Collins
March 17, 2009
http://images.theage.com.au/2009/03/16/419931/svWOOD-200x0.jpg Timothy Wood.
TIMOTHY Wood's parents knew something was terribly wrong with their son, but they could not get the help they were sure he needed.
Desperately straining for air and with swelling around his neck, the 19-month-old was sent home from hospital on July 16, 2005, for the third time in four days. The next afternoon, he was rushed back to hospital, where he died two days later.
Anthony and Robyn Wood hope a coronial inquest will give them some answers.
Their solicitor Kathryn Booth, of Maurice Blackburn, said outside the Victorian Coroners Court yesterday: "Mr and Mrs Wood have been waiting a very long time to have this inquest and it's been important to them to get answers as to why Timmy died after three presentations to two different hospitals."
Mr Wood said: "The last thing we want to have happen is the same thing happen to another child — it was bad enough to go through it.
"You're not meant to outlive your children and it will be something that we will take to our grave."
In statements tendered to the court, Mr Wood said he believed the Austin Hospital should have done things differently when he took his son there on July 16, 2005.
"I do not believe that Timothy should have been discharged from the hospital that evening," he said.
"The medical staff was not in a position to accurately diagnose the extent of Timothy's problem or make a decision to discharge him as he had not been closely monitored and examined during his time at the hospital."
Giving evidence, Mr Wood was even more direct.
"We thought the observation levels (at the Austin Hospital) were pathetic. They weren't there," he said.
Timmy became sick on Thursday, July 14, 2005. By about 2am on the Friday, his breathing was badly restricted and his parents called an ambulance.
He was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital, where he was diagnosed with croup, observed for four hours and given medication before being sent home.
On the Saturday morning, the Woods were still concerned and took him back.
When they saw the triage nurse they were told if they waited in emergency for a doctor it would be unlikely that the treatment plan would change.
They went home, but Timmy did not improve and they called a 24-hour maternal health nurse help line.
The nurse could hear Timmy's laboured breathing and told Mr Wood to call an ambulance immediately and prepare for an overnight stay.
But when they got to the Austin hospital — the Royal Children's was full — Timmy was not admitted. Instead, he was given more medication and sent home.
The next day, he stopped breathing. Mr Wood administered CPR until an ambulance arrived and Timmy was rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital, where he died two days later.
Mr Wood wrote in a letter to the coroner in August 2005: "It was said to us by some of the (intensive care unit) team at the Royal Children's Hospital that they are amazed that a child can die from croup these days.
"The Austin Hospital and medical team simply let us down."
The inquest, before coroner David Drake, continues.