Tot tragically dies days before birthday from sepsis after medics said she just had virus

28.01.2022 - 20:35 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A tot tragically died from sepsis after medics sent her home from hospital saying that she had a virus.

Skyla Whiting, four, died just days before her fifth birthday after falling unwell with an upset stomach with a number of "missed opportunities" by doctors found to be contributory factors to her death.

An inquest held into her death at Newport Coroner's Court on January 28 heard that, having fallen ill on May 10, 2018, Skyla was seen by a GP before being admitted to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, Wales, on May 12 with a fever, high temperature and elevated heart rate.

Wales Online reports that she was diagnosed with a viral infection by doctors at the hospital but her parents remained concerned and she was readmitted the following day as she was vomiting and had a large rash.

The inquest heard that medics who saw her on the evening of May 13 did not consider that she might have sepsis and decided to undergo blood tests at approximately 8.30pm.

However these were not done until 10.30pm with the results becoming available an hour later. Doctors did not see these results, however, for another 45 minutes to an hour.

It was still not considered that Skyla had sepsis until a senior consultant conducted the ward round at 9am on the morning of May 14 and recognised that she was suffering from septic shock.

Later that day she was taken to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and placed on an intensive care ward where she died on May 15, just over a week before her birthday.

A medical cause of death was given as sepsis resulting from lower respiratory tract infection.

Sarah Le Fevre, assistant coroner for Gwent, said that there were "missed opportunities" to prevent the four-year-old's death adding that the evidence