A SEVEN-month-old baby who died at an NHS hospital “wasn’t safe” in its care, an inquest has heard.
Tommy Kneebone was seven-months-old when he died in the early hours of January 21 2023, at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury.
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His mum, Shanice Kneebone had taken him to see the local GP and to A&E in Kent multiple times in the months prior to his death, but his underlying condition was never identified.
It was later discovered Tommy had cardiomyopathy – a general term for diseases of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Shanice told Kent and Medway Coroner’s Court in Maidstone she and her partner had since undergone tests which found “nothing to suggest a genetic cardiac problem” that they might have passed on to their son.
Tommy’s parents first noticed he had a cough when they returned from a holiday abroad in October 2022, and he was prescribed antibiotics for a respiratory illness on November 16.
On December 8, he received another course of antibiotics along with an inhaler from the GP, having been taken to A&E the day before, but wasn’t seen due to severe delays.
A video taken by Shanice from that day and played in court showed Tommy coughing and wheezing heavily.
“Over the Christmas period, Tommy’s wheeze went away but his cough persisted,” she said.
On January 19, Tommy didn’t take on any fluids and “did not seem right” as he was usually a “smiley, happy baby”, the court heard.
He was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital that evening, and then brought back again just after midday on January 20 as his condition had worsened.
“I said it was as if he had drunk a Red Bull, his heart was pounding out of his chest,” Shanice said.
Tommy hadn’t taken any fluids in two days by the time he was put on an IV drip, and one nurse told his parents that she couldn’t do it “due to a lack of experience”, while others were unable to find a vein, the court heard.
“I was getting angry now and we had been waiting for too long and I was worried,” Shanice said.
“I did not feel Tommy was safe at Tunbridge Wells Hospital as no-one seemed to be taking my concerns seriously.”
Tommy continued to deteriorate, until staff at the hospital began to discuss putting him in a medically induced coma to transport him to the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London, his mum told the court.
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But while his family waited outside under the impression he was being prepared to be transported, medical staff were performing CPR for more than an hour.
Tommy was pronounced dead after 4am on January 21, and that’s when doctors identified an underlying, undiagnosed cardiomyopathy, which they say caused his death.
On a Gofundme page set up to support Tommy’s family, which has raised more than £24,000, the organiser identified a “series of failures” by the health service.
The inquest continues.
What is cardiomyopathy?
Cardiomyopathy is a general term for diseases of the heart muscle, where the walls of the heart chambers have become stretched, thickened or stiff.
This affects the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body.
Most types of cardiomyopathy are inherited. It can also be caused by other conditions, or risk factors.
But for some people the cause is unknown. Cardiomyopathy can affect people of all ages.
Symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of the condition, but common signs include:
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling of the feet, ankles, or stomach
- Chest pain
- Pounding or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- Dizziness or fainting
If you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of cardiomyopathy, you should see your GP.
If you have a sudden and severe symptom, such as a pounding or fluttering heartbeat and shortness of breath, call emergency services immediately.
Cardiomyopathy is diagnosed using an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart, along with an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check electrical activity and a chest X-ray to assess heart size and fluid in the lungs.
Further tests like blood tests, MRI scans, exercise stress tests, and genetic screening may be used depending on the suspected type and cause of the cardiomyopathy.
