An eight-year-old boy in the UK died on Monday after being misdiagnosed with tonsillitis and sent home, according to an inquest.
Callum Cartlidge was rushed to A&E at Worcestershire Royal Hospital after suffering from vomiting and dehydration.
He had been diagnosed with tonsillitis by his GP days earlier and sent home, the Mirror reported.
He was examined by a number of medics before his death who determined he was suffering from tonsillitis and a stomach ache. But a post-mortem found the boy had been suffering from Addisonian crisis caused by a shortage of the hormone cortisol.
The illness requires immediate emergency attention.
"He looked a bit frightened to be honest," said Susan Tonks, an advanced nurse practitioner who examined Callum at the Winyates Health Centre in Redditch on February 28.
Tonks diagnosed the boy with tonsillitis at the time.
"I understand what Addison's disease is now. I didn't know what it was at the time," she told the Mirror.
Callum reportedly went to hospital on March 2, the day before he passed,where he was examined by Dr Ikram Ul-haq.
The Dr said the boy's mother called the hospital saying the boy was "vomiting after taking penicillin" and the mother "wanted to change the antibiotic".
"He had sunken eyes, he was floppy, very lethargic and his pulse was 120," the Dr said.
He died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
An inquiry is currently being carried out.
Newshub.
