London hospital sued after baby ?brain-damaged by jaundice?

Nashae Prendegast-Coote was born with jaundice at Lewisham hospital. Nurses spotted the problem and he was treated for the condition

However, the jaundice returned and his grandmother, Marja Powell, claims that although she alerted staff, her concerns were dismissed.

Nashae ended up needing a blood transfusion, but it came too late to prevent brain damage, the family alleges.

Now four, he can neither stand nor walk, and his eyesight is severely impaired. Mrs Powell, 52, a recruitment consultant who is also Nashae?s carer, claims nurses delayed carrying out tests which would have revealed the baby was seriously ill.

She is bringing a case against Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust, alleging that staff failed to treat the jaundice properly.

She said: ?The whole family is absolutely devastated that Nashae was born healthy and yet went on to suffer serious brain damage, which we believe was completely preventable with better care from the hospital.

?Looking after a disabled child is hard and there has been a lot of heartache wondering what the future will hold for Nashae.?

The type of brain damage Nashae suffered is called kernicterus, which is caused by excessive jaundice, itself triggered by a pigment called bilirubin which is formed in the liver and causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. The pigment can move? out of the blood into the brain tissue, causing irreversible damage.

Nashae, who was born on June 14, 2008, received the correct treatment for jaundice initially, when nurses placed him under a special UV light which alters the bilirubin from a toxic form to a water soluble, non-toxic form that can be eliminated.

Mrs Powell said she hoped the case would help to highlight the issue and prevent other children suffering the same fate as Nashae. She said: ?It?s crucial that they investigate Nashae?s case thoroughly as we think lessons need to be learned to stop any other families from going through the same ordeal.?

Angharad Hughes, lawyer at JMW which is representing Nashae, said: ?It is vital that healthcare staff at every level are alert to the potential dangers that newborn jaundice poses, and that adequate steps are taken to avoid brain damage.

"Nashae?s brain damage has had a significant impact on him and is so severe that it?s clear he will need a high level of specialist care and assistance for the rest of his life.?

A Lewisham hospital spokesman said: ?We can confirm that we carried out an investigation into this incident in 2008 following a formal complaint. We cannot comment further in light of potential legal proceedings.?

Source: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/london-hospital-sued-after-baby-braindamaged-by-jaundice-8211569.html

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