‘Silent killer’ tragedy of boy, 6
SEPSIS CLAIMS LIFE OF HAPPY, HEALTHY YOUNGSTER
A HEALTHY and happy six-year-old boy died suddenly from silent killer sepsis in what a coroner called ‘the worst nightmare of any parent.’
Connor Horridge – described by his mum and dad as ‘boisterous and energetic’ – had twice been taken to an outof-hours GP and twice to a hospital A&E department after complaining of earache, a sore throat and sickness.
He died 10 days later shortly after he collapsed in a car park whilst walking to attend a third appointment with an emergency doctor.
An inquest into his death heard he shouted ‘mummy, my legs,’ then fell to the ground.
Connor, from Platt Bridge, Wigan, was rushed to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan just after 6.30pm on December 18 last year.
He was pronounced dead just twoand-a-half hours later.
The inquest heard a possible ear infection and a viral infection – gastroenteritis – had been previously diagnosed. Connor’s parents, Thomas and Joanne Horridge, were told to take him home and give him Calpol and fluids on each occasion, Bolton Coroners Court was told.
But a post-mortem examination found he had contracted deadly blood poisoning group A streptococcal septicaemia, causing sepsis.
The family believed there was an ‘underestimation’ of Connor’s condition and his blood should have been tested, the inquest heard.
There were also ‘accepted missed opportunities’ on the part of the hospital, with consultant paediatrician Dr Martin Farrier admitting that a senior doctor should have been called to examine Connor the second time he presented.
Dr Farrier, however, said he didn’t believe it would have changed the tragic outcome.
He said the acute septicaemia ‘couldn’t have been foreseen’ and added: “It’s incredibly aggressive and people can die within 24 hours. There was no indication whatsoever. If we had of done a blood test I would expect that they would not have shown signs of septicaemia. They cannot tell you that you are about to develop septicaemia. They do not predict the future.” Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive as it fights infection. It kills 44,000 people in this country every year. The ‘missed opportunities,’ however, were not ‘causative’ of Connor’s death and nothing could have been done to ‘effect the timeline of what happened,’ the inquest heard. Connor, a pupil at St Mary’s Primary School in Platt Bridge, was lovingly described by his mum Joanne at the inquest as a ‘cheeky soand-so.’ She said: “Because of the circumstances of how he died, I will be distressed for the rest of my life. He loved school and wouldn’t take a day off even if he was poorly.” She said after the inquest: “It is a tragedy. He was my brave little boy. He was so sweet and loving and he would not want people sitting around and crying.” Coroner Timothy Brennand recorded a conclusion of natural causes and levelled no criticism at any medic. Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust has changed its policies concerning repeat admissions of children – they will now be seen by more senior doctors.
Connor’s pre-existing illness compromised his ‘resilience’ to fight off the aggressive streptococcal septicaemia, the coroner said.
Mr Brennand said: “It was undiagnosed because at the time of the last interface, it was undiagnosable. It was not observed because it was not there. This is a case where, it is quite plain to me, the decisions that were made were made in good faith in the presence of the presenting physiology.
“Connor was a bright, active and vivacious child. It was a life and brightness that has been shut down and closed at a tragic age.
“The evidence that this inquiry has received amounts to the worst nightmare of any parent.”
He was my brave little boy. He was so sweet and loving and he would not want people crying Mum Joanne