My little boy died of Strep A after being sent home twice by doctors – he was left to suffocate on the floor
A heartbroken mother has claimed her little boy choked to death on the floor while suffering from Strep A.
Mohammad Izaan Danish fell ill on December 9th and sadly died of the virus on January 6th.
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The disease has claimed the lives of 36 children across the UK since September 2022.
The 2017–18 season, the disease’s last peak season, saw a total of 355 deaths, including 27 deaths in children under the age of 18.
Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there have been 211 deaths across all age groups in England this winter – including 30 children under the age of 18.
Now mum Sajida Jabeen has claimed her eight-year-old son was twice sent home by medics while he was battling the disease.
The 39-year-old said doctors only gave Mohammad doses of ibuprofen and a nebulizer before realizing the seriousness of his condition two days later.
The mother-of-three said she waited six hours at Bradford Royal Infirmary on two separate occasions, asking doctors to take his symptoms seriously.
On the second visit, she said her son was forced to sit on the hospital floor while suffering severe chest pains as there were no more chairs.
The full-time mother said the seriousness of her son’s condition was only established at a doctor’s appointment, where she was told to get him back to the hospital as soon as possible.
Three weeks later, Mohammad died from the virus and Sajida said she was angry that doctors hadn’t taken care of him sooner.
“He was lying on the ground choking from chest pain and fever. He couldn’t even lie down. There was no place for him.
“They could have taken better care of him and put him on a ward or something.
“There was a four to six hour wait and then they gave him ibuprofen, which they weren’t supposed to have.
“He was just really friendly and happy and always smiling,” she said.
The mother took her son to the hospital for the first time on December 10 after he complained of coughing and registering a high fever.
What are the symptoms of invasive Strep A disease?
According to the NHS, there are four key signs of group strep A to look out for. These are:
- Fever (ie a high temperature above 38°C)
- Severe muscle pain
- Localized muscle tenderness
- Redness at the site of a wound
The invasive version of the disease occurs when the bacteria breach the body’s immune defenses.
This can happen if you are already unwell or have a weakened immune system.
After waiting six hours for help, the mother said she was sent home.
But she came back the next day after her son had chest pains.
She said: “I took him to the hospital, the BRI. There was a wait and they saw him and gave him ibuprofen.
“And then, after another wait, they gave him a nebulizer. Then they said, ‘He’s fine, he can go home.’ “The second day was worse and there was another wait and he ended up on the floor. There were no chairs or anything to sit on.
“He couldn’t even lie down because his chest hurt a lot. He just wanted to sit up.
“They gave him ibuprofen. He had a fever. I waited another four to six hours.”
Sajida then took her son to the family doctor, who was “shocked” by Mohammad’s condition.
She recalled the doctor asking, “Why didn’t you take him to the hospital?” I said, “I took him, but they don’t really do much.”
“I rushed him to the hospital. He had given me a note and I gave it to them. They started checking on him and that was it.”
He was first admitted to the BRI on 12 December before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.
On January 6, he died of Strep A pneumonia.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a type of bacteria found in the throat and on the skin.
Invasive group A streptococci occur when these bacteria enter the bloodstream or other areas where they shouldn’t be.
This can then lead to serious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.
Bacterial pneumonia occurs when the tissues in one or both lungs become swollen from an infection.
When a person has pneumonia, the collections of tiny air sacs at the end of your breathing tubes in the lungs fill with fluid.
Sajida said of her son: “He was very fond of playing football. He was a Manchester United fan. He wanted to do many things. He was a happy kid.
“He was in fourth grade and loved studying. He liked his teachers and his friends.”
dr Ray Smith, Chief Medical Officer, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: “I would like to express our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Izaan’s parents on the tragic death of their son.
“I will conduct a thorough investigation and the results will be shared with Muhammad’s parents once they are complete.”
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https://www.the-sun.com/health/7262059/little-boy-died-strep-sent-home-suffocate-floor/ My little boy died of Strep A after being sent home twice by doctors – he was left to suffocate on the floor