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Young Girl Nearly Dies After Hospital Fails To Diagnose Flu

From CNN:

"Hayli Murphy hears her mother's cell phone ring, and she bounces off the couch to get it. Watching her run around, it's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, the 9-year-old was heavily sedated in a pediatric intensive care unit, a ventilator doing the job her lungs -- ravaged by H1N1 flu -- could no longer do.

"She was right there. She was at death's door," remembered her mother, Julie Murphy.

Hayli spent 43 days in the intensive care unit at Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Looking back at her daughter's illness, one of the things that strikes her mother is that in the days before Hayli was admitted to the hospital, a test showed that she did not have the flu -- twice.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, chairman of the pandemic influenza task force for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and others are concerned that doctors are being misled by rapid flu tests and failing to treat patients who, like Hayli, really do turn out to have the flu.

"We've been seeing these rapid flu tests cause problems," Pavia said. "These tests are certainly quick and relatively inexpensive, but the problem is, they're not terribly accurate."

"They said she's fine"

Hayli Murphy was given her first rapid flu test in the emergency room September 21 after spiking a fever. The result was negative, and doctors sent her home.

They said, 'she's fine. She doesn't have the flu. She's got a virus. Give her Motrin and Tylenol, and she'll be fine,' " Murphy remembered.

The next day, when Hayli's fever hit 104 degrees and she felt sicker, Murphy brought her back to the ER, where she says a rapid flu test again showed that Hayli didn't have the flu. Doctors diagnosed pneumonia and gave Hayli antibiotics.

Then, the next day, Hayli became so weak that her mother had to carry her into the emergency room.

"I picked her up off the couch and told my older daughter, 'Open the car door. I'm going to the hospital,' " she recalled.

This time, Hayli was admitted and put on the antiviral medication Tamiflu, which is most effective when given within 48 hours of developing flu symptoms.

"If they had given her Tamiflu earlier, that might have helped her not get into the state she was in," Murphy said."

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Medical negligence and errors are a too common occurrance and can lead to serious health consequences and even death.  The law firm of Gray and White Law represents victims of medical malpractice.  If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of medical negligence or error, please contact the experienced legal team at Gray and White Law for a free consultation.

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