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Boy never tested for meningitis
December 23, 2007 03:40pm
Article from: AAP
A BOY who died days after visiting two Sydney hospitals was never tested for the meningitis that killed him.
Punchbowl Public School year two student Isaraelu Pele died on Tuesday after a visit to Bankstown Hospital and then one to Westmead Children's Hospital, where he vomited blood and had a temperature of 38 degrees.
He was sent home by doctors who said there was nothing wrong with him, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
Westmead Hospital chief executive Tony Penna said it was inefficient to test every child who presents to hospital for meningitis with general symptoms such as vomiting and headaches.
"This is a tragic event – we really do need to look into this objectively with a proper investigation," Dr Penna said at a press conference at Westmead Hospital.
"I stand by the competence and expertise of my staff."
Dr Penna said the procedure to test for the virus, which involves removing spinal fluid with a needle, would happen "every hour" if they tested children who suffered from headaches and vomiting.
He said more specific symptoms to meningitis would have alerted clinical staff to perform the test.
When asked how a child could die from the disease only a day after attending an emergency department, Dr Penna said the disease can progress rapidly from general symptoms to a serious condition.
"This illness can progress quite rapidly and they can present early on with non-specific signs and the progression in itself can be within 12 to 24 hours," he said.
"And if the symptoms and signs don't specifically point to that particular diagnosis then the investigations won't be done."
Dr Penna said the boy was rehydrated with intravenous fluids and his condition improved to satisfactory levels before hospital staff allowed him to go home.
He said up to four senior clinicians reviewed the boy's condition during his nine hour stay at Westmead Hospital and is expecting more detail of the incident to be revealed from an investigation by the NSW Coroner. |
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发表于 23-12-2007 17:41:11
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发表于 25-12-2007 20:33:22
