A young mother is cautioning fellow parents to rely on their intuition after medical professionals dismissed her infant’s serious health issue as a chest infection on multiple occasions. Ellie Stimson, 21, persistently sought answers as doctors at both her GP’s office and a hospital repeatedly sent her and her daughter, Isla-Rae Burton, back home over an eight-month period. Eventually, Isla-Rae was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, where it was discovered she had a collapsed lung, leading to a six-hour stint on life support.
Isla-Rae, now 11 months old, requires significant surgery for the collapsed lung and a rare condition called Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM), involving cysts in the lung that develop before birth. The diagnosis of CPAM, affecting only about three in every 10,000 people, was made after the ambulance incident at eight months. According to Asthma + Lung UK charity, individuals with untreated CPAM may face severe complications like lung cancer and heart failure.
Expressing her thoughts from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Ellie stated, “They mentioned it could have been life-threatening, and research indicates it is not survivable if left untreated.” She expressed disappointment at the oversight in diagnosis, emphasizing that such errors should not occur, especially with infants.
Ellie and her partner, Keiron Burton, began to worry about Isla-Rae when she exhibited persistent wheezing, breathing difficulties, and coughing up mucus following her birth in February the previous year. Despite their concerns, medical professionals allegedly reassured them that Isla-Rae would outgrow the symptoms as she appeared content. The couple visited a GP seven times and Royal Stoke University Hospital eight times, only to be told repeatedly that it was a mere chest infection.
In October, after months of uncertainty, Ellie finally received a breakthrough diagnosis that shocked the family. CPAM, affecting only 1 in 10,000 babies, was identified as the underlying issue, prompting the need for urgent intervention to alleviate Isla-Rae’s breathing difficulties.
The family expressed frustration and sorrow at the delayed diagnosis, highlighting the challenges they faced due to the oversight. The impending major surgery has added to their concerns, as immediate intervention is typically advised for cases like Isla-Rae’s to prevent breathing difficulties.
A scan conducted in May the previous year reportedly showed shadows indicative of the collapsed lung, which Ellie believes was overlooked until later that year, contributing to the delayed diagnosis. Royal Stoke University Hospital stated that they are actively investigating the family’s concerns and are in communication with them regarding the complaint.
Isla-Rae is scheduled to undergo surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, a specialist center, but is currently on a waiting list. To support their daughter and cover living expenses during this challenging period, Ellie and Keiron have set up a GoFundMe campaign. Ann-Marie Riley, chief nurse at Royal Stoke University Hospital, assured that they are addressing the family’s concerns seriously and are actively engaging with them to resolve the issue.