Boy suffering with rare brain condition after being sent home by GP
- 21.03.2018
- EmmaArnold
- Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence
A young boy is suffering from Acute Necrotizing Encephalitis, a rare condition which effects the brain, just hours after being sent home by his GP.
Blake Hostick, aged four, was taken to local GP by his worried mum as she was concerned about how unwell he was. However, the GP attributed his symptoms to a tummy bug and sent him home.
Hours later, Blake’s condition deteriorated and he started to vomit, suffer seizures and lost his vision.
Blake was initially take to a local hospital in Hull where the seriousness of his condition was eventually recognised and he was transferred to Intensive Care before being further transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital for specialist treatment.
Hannah Bottomley, clinical negligence solicitor at Potter Rees Dolan, commented:
Whilst Blake’s condition is extremely rare, it is important that GPs listen to the concerns of parents and appropriately assess unwell children who can deteriorate rapidly.
I am contacted by patients and their loved ones when they have gone to see their GP only to have the GP fail to recognise the seriousness of their condition and send them home. This can cause delay in patients receiving the treatment they need and can result in a much worse outcome than if the GP had recognised the condition and arranged appropriate treatment at the earliest opportunity.
I do not know the details regarding Blake’s GP and care but I do hope that nothing was missed and that Blake makes a strong recovery from this awful condition.
Hannah Bottomley is a clinical negligence solicitor here at Potter Rees Dolan. Should you have any queries about clinical negligence issues or indeed any other aspect of this article and wish to speak to Hannah or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888 or email Hannah directly.