What caused my babys death?

my daughter died 7 years ago age 5 weeks she contracted a chest infection called bronchiolitis and was admitted to hospital for two days she was on a general ward been tube fed and having oxygen on the second night we left her to go home and get clean clothes and have a shower when we got back to the hospital her condition had worsened and as they tried to put a drip in she stopped breathing she was revivedbut this happened twice more she was transferred to ICU and we were told she had a 90% chance of survival that night her brain began to swell and we had to get her christened nobody could explain it the consultant said he had never seen a case like it (although he later denied this) they called hypoxis and encephalitis and her life support was turned off dec 13th 1998 we have never found out what caused this and when i "accidently" got hold of her notes it says that if she had been brought to hospital in that condition the police would have been informed can anyone help

In short, the baby got an infection in the tubes that lead to the lungs. This caused inflammation in the bronchioles and thus trouble breathing. Encephalitis (swelling of the brain) could have been caused by the infection moving via the blood from the lungs to the brain, or it could have been a separate problem. Encephalitis can be caused by a number of things, including bacterial/viral infections (like meningitis) and too little salt in the body (called hyponatremia). The problem with encephalitis is that the brain doesn't have much room to swell, so the pressure on it increases. When this happens, it can cut off blood flow to parts of the brain. Between the chest infection and the encephalitis, the doctors needed to improve her condition ASAP. Unfortunately it's hard to tell the extent of an infection except by noticing where/when symptoms show and doing a white blood cell count. But WBC counts don't tell where an infection is. Also in very young children, it's hard to tell how bad an infection might be because their immune systems often aren't fully developed yet.

The note about someone informing the police would be if it appeared to be a sign of neglect. Obviously the child was already in medical care when her condition got worse. If you had waited until her condition was life threatening to seek care, then the police might be notified to check if there was neglect. You did the right thing, unfortunately the doctors couldn't catch all of the signs fast enough to save your baby. I'm sorry for your loss and hope that this helped explain things.

It's god willing

As a parent you have a right to her records. Ask the hospital to make a copy for you, typed. (I got my records once and it had bad handwriting.)
I'm sorry for your loss.

First I want to say how I feel for you. I can not say I know how you feel because thank God I do not.
Next, If it was me I would get an attorney. Your daughter deserves justice, whether you want money or not. It sounds very fishy to me.

I sorry that this happened to you. Do get the records maybe they will help. But if she did have encephalitis it can be fatal especially in one so young. The brain swells and causes brain damage and stops the heart and breathing systems. There are so many things that can go wrong with infants it is sad when they can't be saved. It sounds like your baby may have had an infection and it went to her brain and ultimately it resulted in her death. Again I'm sorry. I hope you find some peace of mind even if you never really know the exact answers. I don't think she would want you to keep suffering. She would probably want you to remember the good times you had with her even though she wasn't here very long.

it sounds like a bacterial or viral infection. in rare cases, infections in the lungs can move onto the brain.

the hypoxis is just talking about how her blood wasn't carrying much oxygen (becuase of the infection in her bronchioles stopping air from reaching the sacs where gas passes into the blood) and the encephalitis means inflamation of the brain.

tbese cases are pretty rare. i can't even begin to guess what sort of bug caused your child's death, but it doesn't sound like there was any foul play at the hands of the hospital.



i'm reaaaally sorry for your loss. i'm sure it's still painful even now. i hope you've been able to find some healing and comfort through your family, friends and church.

Very sorry about the loss. To me it seems as a complication due to bronchiolitis. I am not a doctor but thid article may help shed some light.
"Risk Factors for Bronchiolitis-Associated Deaths Among Infants in the United States


from The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal庐
Posted 07/16/2003
Robert C. Holman, MS, David K. Shay, MD, MPH, Aaron T. Curns, MPH, Jairam R. Lingappa, MD, Larry J. Anderson, MD



Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Background: Risk factors for bronchiolitis deaths have not been described on a national level. We examined the epidemiology of and identified risk factors for bronchiolitis-associated deaths among infants in the United States.
Methods: Multiple cause-of-death and linked birth/infant death data for 1996 through 1998 were used to examine bronchiolitis-associated infant deaths. Risk factors were assessed by comparing infants who died with bronchiolitis and surviving infants.
Results: During 1996 through 1998 there were 229 bronchiolitis infant deaths, resulting in an average annual infant mortality rate of 2.0 per 100 000 live births. The majority (55%) of infant deaths occurred among infants ages 1 through 3 months. The bronchiolitis mortality rate was highest among infants weighing <1500 g at birth (VLBW) as compared with infants weighing 1500 to 2499 g (LBW) and >/=2500 g at birth (29.8, 6.4 and 1.3 per 100 000 live births, respectively). Sixty-three percent of bronchiolitis deaths were among infants weighing >/=2500 g. VLBW and LBW infants remained at an increased risk of dying with bronchiolitis after controlling for other risk factors. Other risk factors included increasing birth order, low 5-min Apgar score, young maternal age, unmarried mother and tobacco use during pregnancy.
Conclusions: VLBW and LBW infants are at increased risk of dying with bronchiolitis, even when taking into account other risk factors. Although infants weighing <2500 g at birth are at increased risk for dying with bronchiolitis, the majority of bronchiolitis deaths occur among infants of normal birth weight."

Wow, I am so sorry. I don't know exactly. Maybe a virus or a cold. They can get sick very easily. As her mother, you have the right to view her records. Ask the doctor. Do some research. I can help you out with it if you want. E-mail me for help. Again, I'm truly sorry.

did they test for spinal meningitis it causes swelling of the brain kills in 24 hours or even less .
killed my six year old niece had headach went to hospital , they sent her home next day she died

Sounds to me like she could have had a reaction to vaccinations. The 1-month vaccine set received is a set of 4 shots that include multiple doses in some of the shots. That is very hard on an immature immune system and can cause encephalitis, among other things. I would suggest obtaining a copy of all hospital records and review them. Compare this to any notes that you have from pediatric visits. When complete, consider contacting an attorney for legal advice.

She may have been septic.As far as taking legal action you may have passed the statute of limitations.See a medical malpractice attorney.I am so sorry for your loss.

I know that this sounds crazy but Do you think that someone working at the hospital could have purposly killed her. I read an article in Reader's Digest where these nurses would act like a God send to the parents but were secretly killing them Most of those babies had bronchitis I would have an attorney look into this if you really suspect foul play otherwise I will tell you that you need to see a grief counselor. I don't know what it feels like to lose a child but I do know that loss of a loved one is really hard. But anywho Like I said sounds alot like what I read child came in with bronchitis of sorts then took a weird twist and ended up dying. What were the meds that were dispensed? Were they ordered by the doc?? Good luck