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<\/p>\nA five-year-old boy died after his streptococcus A infection was not diagnosed by health professionals, an inquest has heard.<\/p>\n
Jax Jefferys, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, had a red rash and a fever when he attended Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth on 30 November 2022, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard.<\/p>\n
The hospital diagnosed flu, said there was “nothing they could do” and allowed him to go home, his mother Charlene McCormack told the inquest jury.<\/p>\n
Jax died the following evening after collapsing while being driven back to hospital by his parents, the court heard.<\/p>\n
The boy was coughing and drowsy and was seen by paramedics and a GP in the days before his first hospital visit, the court heard.<\/p>\n
Dr Eric Wilkinson, from Southbourne Surgery in West Sussex, said he diagnosed croup on 28 November and prescribed an extended course of steroids.<\/p>\n
The GP told the jury Jax had no sore throat or pus in his throat, and he did not suspect a bacterial infection.<\/p>\n
On 30 November, a hospital nurse spotted red rashes on Jax’s head, face, neck and back, senior coroner Chris Wilkinson said.<\/p>\n
Giving evidence, the boy’s mother said: “They were never mentioned again.<\/p>\n
“The nurse said it could possibly be a heat rash because of his temperature, but she would pass it on to the doctor.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Queen Alexandra Hospital diagnosed flu and sent the boy home, the court heard [BBC]<\/p>\n
Later that evening, hospital blood tests diagnosed influenza A, although further blood tests were ordered, the court heard.<\/p>\n
“They said there’s nothing they could do – just paracetamol, rest,” Jax’s mother told the court.<\/p>\n
“We agreed he could be discharged but if there was anything concerning in the bloods, we should bring him straight back to hospital.”<\/p>\n
At 02:00 GMT, the hospital phoned to say the blood results were “absolutely fine” although they showed Jax was dehydrated, she added.<\/p>\n
At 20:00 on 1 December, the boy complained he could not feel his legs, the court heard.<\/p>\n
On the way to hospital in his parents’ car, he began to bleed, became lifeless and could not be revived, the coroner said.<\/p>\n
In a statement read out in court, Jax’s mother described her youngest child, who had three older sisters, as “extremely loving, cheeky and boisterous”.<\/p>\n
She added: “When Jax died, my heart was taken away.”<\/p>\n
The week-long inquest continues.<\/p>\n
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