AN INVESTIGATION has begun into how a toddler was misdiagnosed and turned away from hospital on two occasions after contracting meningococcal.
A Riverina mother, who has asked to remain anonymous, is now demanding answers as to how the distressing chain of events were allowed to occur.
“I’m pretty upset because my daughter could have died because they diagnosed her wrong,” she told The Daily Advertiser.
“I am very concerned that it could happen to other people, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, this was horrible.”
The toddler took ill on Sunday last week, and her mother took her to Coolamon hospital emergency department mid-morning on Monday, June 27, after she noticed a rash.
At hospital the mother said a doctor diagnosed the three-year-old with chickenpox.
The child was later taken to a Coolamon doctor on Monday afternoon, and the hospital’s emergency department again on Tuesday night, where staff supported the original diagnosis.
But it was not until an appointment at lunchtime last Wednesday with Trail Street Medical Centre that the toddler was diagnosed with meningococcal, and rushed to Wagga hospital.
Fortunately the little girl is now in a stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.
In an email, Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) chief executive Jill Ludford said the multiple misdiagnoses had occurred because the rash was “not typical”.
“Meningococcal meningitis can be very difficult to diagnose in the early stages of the disease as many symptoms are common to many mild viral illnesses,” she said.
“As soon as the disease progressed to meningitis the diagnosis was made and treatment commenced immediately.”
Ms Ludford said MLHD had also contacted the child’s parents as part of a review into the situation.
The district’s public health unit director Tracey Oakman said the case was one of three reported in the region this year.
Key to surviving meningococcal was early diagnosis, she said.
“If you get onto it early enough, with antibiotics you can be cured completely,” Mrs Oakman said.
“Of course it is a very fast-acting disease, you don’t want to waste time, and you should seek medical advice straight away.”
