Boy, 9, died of septic shock after hospital sent him home

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy died of sepsis after a suspected case of appendicitis was diagnosed as flu by hospital staff, an inquest has heard.

Dylan Cope, from Newport, was taken to Grange Hospital in Cwmbran on Dec 6 2022 with severe stomach pain but was discharged the following morning with an influenza diagnosis and a leaflet with advice on colds.

He died a week later, on Dec 14, from septic shock at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

Laurence Cope, his father, told the inquest that hospital staff had “reassured” him Dylan had swollen “nodes”.

He had been ill with what his parents thought was a stomach bug but took him to the GP when his condition worsened.

Dr Amy Burton suspected he had appendicitis and advised he be immediately taken to the hospital while she called ahead with her diagnosis.

Dylan was seen by Samantha Hayden, a paediatric nurse practitioner, after a wait of one hour and 15 minutes. The inquest was told that while Ms Hayden had been aware his GP had seen Dylan, she did not know about the diagnosis and did not check the notes. Ms Hayden said this was normal as she did not want to be led by the GP’S assessment.

Later, the court was told “a male medic” wearing scrubs and a face mask saw Dylan. Mr Cope said the medic explained it was “highly unlikely it was an issue with his appendix”. The court was told another clinician then came into the room saying Dylan had tested positive for influenza, and that his stomach pain may be coming from “swollen glands”. The inquest continues.