Grieving mother seeks answers
Baby daughter dies just hours after being seen by New Brunswick doctor
A grieving New Brunswick mother says someone in the health care system needs to take responsibility for the death of her five-week-old daughter, and she wants answers.
Tessa McAllister of Miramichi weeps as she talks about her daughter Blayke, who died at home last month just hours after being seen by a doctor.
“I want Blayke’s story to be heard and the right people to take responsibility for it,” she said.
McAllister said Blayke — her fourth child — was small at birth, just four pounds, four ounces, but healthy. However she said that changed after two weeks with the baby coughing, crying and suffering with diarrhea.
McAllister said she went to the doctor a number of times because the baby was phlegmy and had issues breathing.
She said a chest X-ray and swab were done on Jan. 30.
“Her left lung was completely congested ... but nobody contacted me,” she said.
McAllister said she only learned the results two days later when she saw her doctor and was told the baby had tested positive for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
In adults and older, healthy children, RSV symptoms are mild and typically mimic the common cold but can cause severe infection in young infants.
McAllister said she wanted Blayke admitted to Miramichi Regional Hospital, but the doctor told her it was 20 per cent over capacity.
“He proceeded to call the hospital and they said there’s a really bad flu going around the ER, we wouldn’t suggest bringing the baby over here because we’re overcapacity at 120 per cent, so maybe talk to the mother about other options for now,” she said.
McAllister said she was told by her doctor to use a humidifier at home and bring the baby back the next day.
Blayke died that night.