A 21-year-old mother is urging fellow parents to listen to their instincts as medical professionals allegedly misdiagnosed her baby’s serious health issue as a chest infection on multiple occasions. Ellie Stimson persisted after doctors at both her GP’s office and a hospital sent her and her daughter, Isla-Rae Burton, home around fifteen times over an eight-month period. Eventually, the infant was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and diagnosed with a collapsed lung, requiring six hours on life support.
Isla-Rae, now 11 months old, needs major surgery for the collapsed lung and a rare condition called Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM), characterized by cysts in the lung that develop in the womb. The family was shocked to learn about the condition, with only three in 100 people facing potential complications like lung cancer and heart failure if untreated, according to the Asthma + Lung UK charity.
Ellie, speaking from her home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, expressed her frustration at the situation, emphasizing the potential life-threatening consequences of the delayed diagnosis. She criticized the medical oversight, stating that such mistakes should not occur, especially with young children involved.
Ellie and her partner, Keiron Burton, became worried when Isla-Rae displayed symptoms such as wheezing, breathing difficulties, and mucus coughing shortly after her birth in February last year. Despite seeking medical help seven times at the GP and eight times at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, they were repeatedly reassured that it was just a chest infection.
The final breakthrough in Isla-Rae’s diagnosis came in October, leading to the family’s realization of the severity of the situation. Only one in 10,000 babies are born with CPAM, highlighting the rarity of the condition, as reported by Asthma + Lung UK.
The family expressed their disappointment and anger at the delayed diagnosis, believing that the surgery should have been performed sooner to prevent the breathing difficulties Isla-Rae now faces. They described the frustration and heartbreak of being ignored when they knew something was wrong and emphasized the necessity of the upcoming major operation for their daughter.
An alleged shadowing on a scan conducted in May last year hinted at the collapsed lung, which Ellie believes was missed by medical professionals until later in the year. The Royal Stoke University Hospital has pledged to thoroughly investigate the family’s concerns, and Isla-Rae’s necessary surgery will be performed at a specialized center in Birmingham Children’s Hospital, although she is currently on a waiting list.
To support their daughter and cover living expenses, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign. Keiron has had to cease his grounds maintenance job to care for Isla-Rae full-time until the scheduled surgery. The hospital’s chief nurse, Ann-Marie Riley, assured that they take all complaints seriously and are actively engaging with the family to address their grievances.
