Mother whose son, 12, with cerebral palsy died when hospital failed to spot he had sepsis reveals his twin believes his brother visits him in his dreams to stop him feeling lonely
- Alfie Scambler-Holt, 12, who had cerebral palsy, died in June 2017 from sepsis
- His mother, Candice, 34, from Stockport, has spoken out about her heartbreak
- Alfie was rushed to his local hospital following chest-infection-like symptoms
- But medics at Stepping Hill hospital failed to notice youngster’s signs of sepsis
A mother whose son died after hospital staff failed to spot the signs of sepsis has revealed how his twin brother believes his sibling visits him in his dreams.
Candice Scambler-Holt, 34, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, has spoken of her heartbreak following the death of her 10-year-old son Alfie, who had cerebral palsy.
Alfie was rushed to his local hospital, Stepping Hill, following chest-infection-like symptoms in June 2017 but sadly passed away just 11 hours later – with medics failing to act on the signs of sepsis, which is a deadly immune response to an infection.
The youngster’s family were left devastated by his death, including his twin brother, Ben, who was ‘incredibly close’ to Alfie and often communicated for him as he struggled to speak.
Now, Ben believes his sibling is visiting him in dreams to keep him company, while his parents have been awarded compensation from the hospital trust after it failed to provide ‘appropriate treatment’.
A mother whose son (pictured left) died after hospital staff failed to spot the signs of sepsis has revealed how his twin brother (right) believes his sibling visits him in his dreams
Candice Scambler-Holt (pictured), 34, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, has spoken of her heartbreak following the death of her 12-year-old son Alfie, who had cerebral palsy
Alfie (pictured right with his twin brother) was rushed to his local hospital, Stepping Hill, following chest-infection-like symptoms in June 2017 but sadly passed away just 11 hours later – with medics failing to act on the signs of sepsis, which is a deadly immune response to an infection
Mother-of-five Candice said: ‘Alfie and Ben were incredibly close. Alfie couldn’t speak so Ben always communicated for him; he instinctively knew what Alfie wanted.
‘When we thought Alfie was in pain, we’d ask Ben if he could feel it too. Their bond went beyond language and I know Ben still feels his twin around him.
‘Ben tells us that Alfie visits him in his dreams and stops him from feeling lonely. It breaks my heart that he has suffered so much.’
Alfie and his twin brother, Ben, were born in May 2007, 25 weeks into the pregnancy, weighing 1lb 15ozs and 1lb 7ozs, respectively, with their eyes fused together and without nipples.
Candice, who is also mother to Lizzie, 16, Billy, 15, and Millie, nine, recalled: ‘The pregnancy had been going well but I went into labour at 25 weeks. They weighed the same as a small packet of sausages; they were so tiny.
WHAT IS SEPSIS?
Sepsis occurs when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues.
Some 44,000 people die from sepsis every year in the UK. Worldwide, someone dies from the condition every 3.5 seconds.
Sepsis has similar symptoms to flu, gastroenteritis and a chest infection.
These include:
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine in a day
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you are dying
- Skin mottled or discoloured
Symptoms in children are:
- Fast breathing
- Fits or convulsions
- Mottled, bluish or pale skin
- Rashes that do not fade when pressed
- Lethargy
- Feeling abnormally cold
Under fives may be vomiting repeatedly, not feeding or not urinating for 12 hours.
Anyone can develop sepsis but it is most common in people who have recently had surgery, have a urinary catheter or have stayed in hospital for a long time.
Other at-risk people include those with weak immune systems, chemotherapy patients, pregnant women, the elderly and the very young.
Treatment varies depending on the site of the infection but involves antibiotics, IV fluids and oxygen, if necessary.
Source: UK Sepsis Trust and NHS Choices
‘They were wrapped in tiny freezer bags and we watched them develop day by day. The twins both needed bowel surgery and we were warned it was touch and go. It was incredible just that they survived.’
The twins left hospital before their first birthdays. Alfie was later found to have cerebral palsy and Ben was diagnosed with autism.
Candice, who is married to Lee, 37, explained: ‘The boys were so close. They shared a bedroom and I dressed them both the same. Alfie couldn’t walk or talk so Ben would speak for him.
‘If Alfie seemed to be in pain, Lee would ask Ben what the problem was. They were absolutely inseparable.
She added: ‘Alfie loved people, he liked cuddles. He loved going out too and feeling the fresh air on his face.’
Alfie’s family were left devastated by his death, including his twin brother, Ben, who was ‘incredibly close’ to Alfie (pictured) and often communicated for him as he struggled to speak
One morning in June 2017, Candice, found Alfie struggling to breathe, recalling: ‘I called an ambulance, but Alfie had been to hospital before with chest infections, so I was not panic-stricken.’
At Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, Alfie was admitted onto a ward with what Candice believed was a chest infection.
She said: ‘I wasn’t aware there was anything different this time but the staff mentioned he might need high dependency care which was a concern.
‘But then Alfie stopped breathing and everyone started to panic, the doctors were trying to get a line into him. I heard someone call “time of death” and that was the first I knew that he was even in danger – and by now, it was too late.
‘We were absolutely in shock. His death had come from nowhere, eleven hours after we had first been admitted. He’d never even seen the consultant.’
Now, Ben (pictured with Alfie as a baby) believes his sibling is visiting him in dreams to keep him company
The twin’s (pictured parents have been awarded compensation from the hospital trust following the oversight in Alfie’s care
One week after Alfie’s death, Candice learned he had died from sepsis. She later learned that the paramedics who were called to her home had flagged up sepsis as a concern, but it was not acted upon in hospital.
Candice said: ‘It was horrific having to tell our other children that he was not coming home. Ben just did not believe it. He kept telling us he was very lonely without Alfie in their bedroom.
‘As time passed, he would tell us that Alfie had visited him in his sleep and that he would keep him company in his dreams.’
Alfie’s funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners. His family designed a Paw Patrol coffin and played Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ and ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.’
His distraught mother revealed: ‘We released balloons and planted sunflowers in his memory, because he was our sunshine.’
Following an inquest in July 2018, coroner Alison Mutch concluded that Alfie died as a consequence of ‘an overwhelming infection on a background of cerebral palsy.’
Mother-of-five Candice (pictured right, with her husband) said: ‘Alfie and Ben were incredibly close. Alfie couldn’t speak so Ben always communicated for him; he instinctively knew what Alfie wanted’ Pictured left: Alfie with his family
Candice is also mother to Lizzie, 16, and Billy, 15, who are pictured above with the twin brothers when they were younger
The coroner wrote to the Secretary of State after Alfie’s inquest to recommend that a Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) be nationally agreed and implemented across all trusts.
Without a standardised system so all hospital staff are using the same criteria to measure deterioration in children, she warned that more could die.
Following the inquest, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust – which runs the hospital – apologised and admitted that they had ‘missed important opportunities in his care’.
The Trust has now offered a further apology to Alfie’s family and paid them an undisclosed sum in compensation.
They have also introduced an improved system to increase the chance of identifying children and young people at risk of deterioration so that concerns can be escalated.
Alfie and his twin brother, Ben, (pictured as newborns) were born in May 2007, 25 weeks into the pregnancy, weighing 1lb 15ozs and 1lb 7ozs, respectively
Candice holds Alfie shortly after his birth at 25 weeks, while her husband stands beside her
In a letter sent to Slater Gordon Solicitors, the trust also later admitted that Alfie ‘did not receive appropriate treatment considering the serious nature of his injury and that this unfortunately resulted in his death’.
Candice said: ‘For a long time I blamed myself. I replayed what happened over and over in my head and whether there was anything more I could have done. To have it confirmed that mistakes were made was a relief.
‘It won’t bring Alfie back or fill the big hole in our lives, but it has taken some of that guilt away. Ben has had counselling which has enabled him to talk about Alfie, but he is so sad without his twin brother.
‘I live in fear that something will happen to one of the other children. If they get an infection, I am petrified.’
Candice has channelled her grief by becoming a community support worker for children and adults with disabilities. Her daughter Lizzie wants to train as a paediatric nurse.
Candice has channelled her grief by becoming a community support worker for children and adults with disabilities. Pictured: Ben and Alfie in hospital shortly after they were born
The mother explained: ‘I needed to fill a void, to put all the knowledge and skills that I had learned caring for Alfie to good use.’
The family are planning an annual charity night in Alfie’s memory to raise funds for the UK Sepsis Trust.
Victoria Beel, a clinical negligence specialist at Slater and Gordon, said: ‘Candice and Lee’s biggest motivation in taking action against the trust was to find answers about what happened – and effect change to prevent this from happening to anyone else.
‘With such a fast-moving and potentially fatal condition like sepsis, it is absolutely vital that fluids and antibiotics are administered within that first ‘golden hour’ of presenting to A&E.
‘Tragically that didn’t happen in Alfie’s case, but the more families who are brave enough to speak out, the greater the awareness will be’.
The family are planning an annual charity night in Alfie’s (pictured with his brother Ben) memory to raise funds for the UK Sepsis Trust
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Stepping Hill Hospital, said: ‘Our thoughts are with Alfie’s family and all those who loved him.
‘It is clear that we missed important opportunities in his care, and for that we are very sorry.
‘Following Alfie’s death we launched an immediate investigation to fully understand exactly what happened and why. As an organisation we are always keen to learn and improve and to avoid any such incidents occurring again in the future.
‘We have introduced an improved system of paediatric early warning scores, which improves the likelihood of identifying children and young people at risk of deterioration so concerns can be escalated to senior doctors.
‘Other improvements have included ensuring more rigorous checks of fluid balances, and better access to blood gas analysers and lactate results on wards.
‘We know that no amount of compensation will make up for his loss, but we are fully satisfied the payment is being made.’
Source: Read Full Article