A TODDLER aged three died three months after doctors "missed opportunities" to pick up a rare condition and instead sent her home from A&E. Ryleigh Hillcoat-Bee was admitted to hospital after she became poorly on a family holiday to North Wales. Doctors found that the little girl had levels of potassium in her blood and 'extraordinarily high' levels of Creatine Kinase in her blood.
The symptoms are associated with, a serious muscle condition. rhabdomyolysis. Despite this Ryleigh was sent home from hospital.
Three months later her parents Caroline and Andrew rushed her back to A&E after she suffered breathing difficulties. She suffered a cardiac arrest at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and died on Monday, November 8, 2021. An inquest held last week at Blackpool Coroner's Court Area Coroner Alan Wilson ruled that there had been several 'missed opportunities' to scrutinise Ryleigh's lack of mobility before discharging her in August.
Representing Ryleigh's parents Diane Rostron, medical negligence solicitor, said: "The hospital was given clear advice from colleagues in Leeds during Ryleigh's admission in August 2021 to seek specialist advice from a neuromuscular specialist. "Had they done so, identifying rhabdomyolysis, and advice on how to treat a flare up, would have followed. The hospital would and should have then provided this information to Ryleigh's parents while the root cause of Ryleigh's condition was being investigated.
"Ryleigh died on 8th November 2021 just three months.