Five Year-Old Boy With Asthma Died In Hospital After Series Of Failings

Five Year-Old Boy With Asthma Died In Hospital After Series Of Failings
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PA

A little boy with asthma died in hospital because of a series of failings, an inquest has heard.

Five year-old Harry Mould was admitted to hospital with severe breathing difficulties but died within five days.

His family claim he wasn't checked enough or given medication when he needed it. Initially, Harry - described by his parents, Lee and Odette, both 33, as a "lovely boy, our little ray of sunshine" - had seemed to improve.

But the consultant who treated him admitted he "did not receive the treatment he should have". According to the report of the inquest in the Daily Mail, Harry died of a respiratory infection.

The inquest heard that the "gifted and talented" boy, from Greenleys, Buckinghamshire, was given nebulisers every hour.

Consultant Abraham Oommen then changed this to using an inhaler. The doctor also did not order an X-ray for a suspected chest infection.

"The general impression was that he seemed to be improving," said Mr Oommen. "He was alert, he seemed quite comfortable. He seemed reasonably well. I was speaking to his mother about (Harry) going home."

The consultant said he arranged for Harry to be reviewed again by a colleague later that day, who found that Harry "did not look as well as he had that morning" and had needed to be given oxygen to breathe.

Pathologist Dr David O'Neil told the hearing the youngster had at some point during his treatment suffered a brain injury, which could have caused Harry to not respond to treatment as well as he should.

The inquest, which is expected to last 14 days, continues.