Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

[Shiloh]

Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...osis-Her-Family-Claim/Article/200908215356827


Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

11:42am UK, Saturday August 08, 2009
A toddler has died from suspected meningitis after being misdiagnosed with swine flu, the child's parents have claimed.

Georgia Keeling's family say they were twice told their daughter had the H1N1 virus and should stay at home.

The two-year-old died in hospital in Norfolk on Tuesday.

"I don't feel like the paramedics did their job properly," father Paul Sewell, 21, told the Daily Mail.

"Georgia wasn't given a chance."

Tasha Keeling, the toddler's mother, initially contacted her local health centre, who said it could be swine flu.

The pandemic flu helpline advised calling NHS Direct as the symptoms did not match, but they advised keeping Georgia at home unless her temperature rose.

Ms Keeling eventually resorted to dialling 999 but claims a paramedic arrived first, diagnosed swine flu for the second time and said an ambulance was not necessary.

The family were left with Calpol and Tamiflu and instructed to leave Georgia in bed.

When another ambulance was called later, the toddler was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she died.

The hospital suspect Georgia died from meningitis, according to a spokesman.

An investigation will be carried out by the ambulance service and NHS Norfolk, although no official complaint has been made.

The Meningitis Trust has warned the public of the dangers of failing to spot the potentially-fatal illness during the swine flu pandemic.

Last month, 17-year-old Gemma Drury told Sky News she ended up fighting for her life in intensive care after doctors thought her meningitis was H1N1.

 

[silvergirl]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

But haven't other bacterial infections like meningitis (one ended up with encephalitis) developed with H1N1?

 

[theforeigner]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...osis-Her-Family-Claim/Article/200908215356827


Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

11:42am UK, Saturday August 08, 2009
A toddler has died from suspected meningitis after being misdiagnosed with swine flu, the child's parents have claimed.

Georgia Keeling's family say they were twice told their daughter had the H1N1 virus and should stay at home.

The two-year-old died in hospital in Norfolk on Tuesday.

"I don't feel like the paramedics did their job properly," father Paul Sewell, 21, told the Daily Mail.

"Georgia wasn't given a chance."

Tasha Keeling, the toddler's mother, initially contacted her local health centre, who said it could be swine flu.

The pandemic flu helpline advised calling NHS Direct as the symptoms did not match, but they advised keeping Georgia at home unless her temperature rose.

Ms Keeling eventually resorted to dialling 999 but claims a paramedic arrived first, diagnosed swine flu for the second time and said an ambulance was not necessary.

The family were left with Calpol and Tamiflu and instructed to leave Georgia in bed.

When another ambulance was called later, the toddler was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she died.

The hospital suspect Georgia died from meningitis, according to a spokesman.

An investigation will be carried out by the ambulance service and NHS Norfolk, although no official complaint has been made.

The Meningitis Trust has warned the public of the dangers of failing to spot the potentially-fatal illness during the swine flu pandemic.

Last month, 17-year-old Gemma Drury told Sky News she ended up fighting for her life in intensive care after doctors thought her meningitis was H1N1.

What a horrible story
Any info on what the toddlers symptoms was?

 

[silvergirl]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

nevermind

 

[Lizw]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

But haven't other bacterial infections like meningitis (one ended up with encephalitis) developed with H1N1?

Indeed, and a story like this just confirms how misguided it is to assume that swine flu is almost always mild. Even if the child did have swine flu, she could have developed meningitis or severe respiratory problems. This isn't the first time we've heard about people being diagnosed with swine flu and sent home, only to return with severe symptoms and then dying. The only difference is that this time it appears not to actually have been flu.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

But haven't other bacterial infections like meningitis (one ended up with encephalitis) developed with H1N1?

1: Clin Infect Dis. 2002 Sep 1;35(5):512-7. Epub 2002 Aug 7. Links

Encephalitis and encephalopathy associated with an influenza epidemic in Japan.

Morishima T, Togashi T, Yokota S, Okuno Y, Miyazaki C, Tashiro M, Okabe N; Collaborative Study Group on Influenza-Associated Encephalopathy in Japan.
Department of Health Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Nagoya 461-0047, Japan. morishim@met.nagoya-u.ac.jp

During the winter of 1998-1999, there was an outbreak of encephalitis/encephalopathy in Japan that appeared to be associated with influenza. We conducted a national survey of the prevalence and clinical features of disease and the associated outcomes and prognostic factors related to this outbreak. A total of 202 cases were analyzed, of which 148 were diagnosed as influenza-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy on the basis of virologic analysis. Of the 148 cases studied, 130 (87.8%) were type A influenza and 17 were type B. Encephalitis/encephalopathy developed mainly in children age <5 years, either on the day that influenza signs appeared or on the next day. The major signs included altered consciousness or loss of consciousness, convulsions, cough, and vomiting. In many patients, multiple-organ failure developed, and rates of mortality (31.8%) and disability (27.7%) were high. Thrombocytopenia and severely elevated transaminase levels were factors associated with a poor prognosis. Thus, influenza-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy progressed rapidly and was associated with poor outcomes.

PMID: 12173123

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12173123

H. influenzae meningitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. This bacteria should not be confused with the disease influenza, an upper respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus.

Before the Hib vaccine became available, H. influenzae was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under 5 years of age. Since the introduction of the vaccine in the U.S., H. influenzae now occurs in less than 2 in 100,000 children. It still causes 5% - 10% of bacterial meningitis cases in adults.

H. influenzae meningitis may come after an upper respiratory infection. The infection usually spreads from the respiratory tract to the bloodstream, and then to the meninges. At the meninges, the bacteria produce infection and inflammation, causing serious illness and sometimes death.

Risk factors include:

Ear infection (otitis media)
Family member with an H. influenzae infection
Native American race
Placement in day care
Sinus infection (sinusitis)
Sore throat (pharyngitis)
Upper respiratory infection

.Symptoms

Fever (in young infants the temperature may actually be below normal)
Irritability, poor feeding in infants
Nausea and vomiting
Pain in back when neck is bent forward and chin is brought toward chest (older children)
Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Severe headache (older children)
Stiff neck or pain in neck
Unusual body positions
.
Signs include:

Bulging of the fontanelles in an infant
Lying with the back arched, head, back, and chin up (opisthotonos)
Mental status changes (such as irritability, reduced consciousness, coma)
Poor blood flow (circulation)
Seizures

For any patient with meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture ("spinal tap"), in which spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is collected for testing.

Other tests include:

Antibodies in blood (serology)
Blood culture
Spinal fluid culture
White blood cell count

Treatment

Treatment must be started as soon as meningitis is suspected. H. influenzae meningitis should be treated with antibiotics given through a vein (IV).

Steroid medication may also be used, mostly in children. Steroids are given to reduce hearing loss, which is a common complication of meningitis in children.

Outlook (Prognosis)

The likely outcome is good with early treatment. However, 3 - 5% of patients do not survive.

Possible Complications

Abnormal speech and language development
Behavioral problems
Hearing loss
Hydrocephalus
Learning disorders
Mental retardation
Seizures

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your health care provider or go to an emergency room if you experience symptoms of H. influenzae or if you notice these symptoms in your child. Meningitis can quickly become life-threatening.

Prevention

To protect infants and young children:

Hib immunizations for infants and children are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, and many other health agencies.
Several types of Hib vaccine are available for children ages 2 months and older.
To prevent infection after being exposed to H. influenzae meningitis:

All family contacts of people with this type of meningitis who have not been vaccinated should begin drug therapy to prevent infection as soon as possible.
Ask your health care provider about this treatment during the first visit.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/meningitis-h-influenzae/overview.html

 

[B.C.]

Re: Toddler Dies 'After Swine Flu Misdiagnosis'

http://www.teletext.co.uk/regionaln...c6d2fb6b9d/'Lessons'+after+toddler+death.aspx

'Lessons' after toddler death
Ambulance chiefs said they have "learnt lessons" after the death of a Norwich toddler who was misdiagnosed with swine flu by a paramedic.

Two-year-old Georgia Keeling, of West Earlham, died from a rare form of infection called Streptococcus A.

An emergency care practitioner had said she didn't need to go to hospital. They have been suspended from duty.