A heartbroken mum has told how her two-year-old son died from sepsis after bungling doctors misdiagnosed his meningitis as a viral infection.
Little Arlo Bennett was rushed to A&E in February this year when mum Leanne Amyes, 28, found he had stopped breathing after suffering a seizure and being sick.
Despite paramedics flagging the tell-tale signs of the flesh eating disease to the hospital – blundering medics did not believe Arlo had sepsis.
As a result, the toddler was not screened for the condition or given antibiotics and his condition began to deteriorate at Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital.
Arlo wasn’t diagnosed with meningitis until NINE hours later where he was finally given intravenous antibiotics.
Sadly, this was not enough to save the youngster and he died later that same day after suffering a cardiac arrest.
A damning hospital report has now revealed the root cause of Arlo’s death was a “delay in recognition and treatment of sepsis” caused by meningitis.
It added had the possibility of meningitis or sepsis been considered earlier and antibiotics given, “the outcome may have been different.”
The investigation also found Arlo’s symptoms, including a fever and a high heart rate, met the criteria to be screened for sepsis.
Mum Leanne and partner Finton Bennett, 26, of Solihull, West Mids., are now marking World Sepsis Day on Sunday (13/9) by urging lessons be learned by the tragedy.
They want health workers to be more aware of the signs of sepsis – which sees the body attack itself in response to an infection – after a string of errors led to their son’s death.
Leanne, who has another son, Alfie, six, with Finton said: “Arlo was such a happy boy who was always smiling and it remains incredibly hard to talk about what happened.
“I have lost my beautiful son and Alfie his little play mate. It’s still difficult that we do not understand why Arlo was not screened and treated for sepsis given how serious it is.
“Although he was very poorly it’s hard not to think that he would still be with us and of how he would be growing and developing if the seriousness of his condition had been recognised and he had received treatment sooner.
“Before this I hadn’t really heard of sepsis but it’s now something that we will never forget.
“The pain and grief has been unbearable and I don’t know whether our family will ever come to terms with it.
“While I know nothing will change what has happened, I just hope that by speaking out about Arlo’s death it makes people aware of how dangerous sepsis is and the need to be aware and recognise signs of the condition.