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Doctor Faulted Over Baby's Test

Posted on: Sunday, 9 October 2005, 15:00 CDT

By ANDREW, Kelly

GP did nothing after results showed blood in boy's urine.

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A DOCTOR who failed to follow up abnormal test results from a baby boy later found to have a rare and potentially fatal illness has been criticised by the health and disability commissioner.

The seven-month-old boy, who had been feverish and vomiting, was taken by his parents to see the GP in November 2003.

The doctor, who is called Dr A in the commissioner's report, diagnosed a viral illness but asked for a urine test to rule out a urinary tract infection.

The results showed traces of blood and protein in the urine, but Dr A was not concerned. There were no signs of a urinary infection, and he did not contact the boy's parents because they had not returned to the clinic so he assumed their son had recovered.

A few weeks later the infant became sick again with diarrhoea and vomiting and was diagnosed by a different GP, Dr C, with gastroenteritis.

When he became ill for a third time in January, Dr C asked for a urine test and referred him to hospital, where he was diagnosed with the disease haemolytic uraemic syndrome. This disease, an infection that usually affects children, is rare but can lead to kidney failure or death.

The boy spent nearly three weeks in hospital. His parents were told when he was discharged that his prognosis was uncertain and there was a strong possibility of kidney failure.

They were shocked when they realised that warning signs of the illness could have been picked up in the first blood test, and complained to the commissioner that Dr A had not told them the results were abnormal or taken action that could have led to earlier diagnosis and treatment for their son.

Commissioner Ron Paterson said Dr A had breached the health services code of consumers' rights by not acting appropriately on the test results. He should have told the boy's parents the results were abnormal and advised them about follow-up.

The medical centre where Dr A worked was not at fault.

Dr A was asked to apologise to the parents for his breach of the code.

Source: Dominion Post

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