Child choked on pill too big for his age, court told

By LOUISA CLEAVE

A 3-year-old choked to death on a children's vitamin pill too large for a child of his age to swallow, a pathologist said yesterday.

Auckland coroner Murray Jamieson said he would give the pill maker Healtheries the opportunity to discuss the size of the tablet before he made a final ruling on the "very uncommon" death of Nicholas George Poole in April.

Dr Jamieson said it was a terrible tragedy for the boy's parents, who had the best of intentions.

The court heard that Nicholas took the Kidscare animal-shaped echinacea and vitamin C chewable tablets, recommended for ages 3 and up, for 10 days before his death.

He did not like the taste of them and sometimes took them crushed up in milk, according to evidence from his mother, Rachel Poole, which was read out in court.

Nicholas refused a tablet several times as he played with his toys at his North Shore home on April 3.

The court was told that his mother then popped the 16mm by 4mm pill in his mouth.

He coughed and stood up, saying, "I can't breathe, mummy", before collapsing.

His mother slapped his back and tried to induce vomiting before carrying him across the road to a neighbour, who was a registered nurse.

The neighbour tried to revive Nicholas, and considered performing a tracheotomy (an incision in the windpipe to create an airway) before ambulance staff arrived and tried to revive him.

Pathologist Jane Vuletic said Nicholas had inhaled the tablet instead of keeping it in his mouth and swallowing it.

Dr Vuletic said the vitamin pill was too large for a child to be able to swallow at the age of 3.

Asked about the merit of such pills, she said there was no medical evidence that the tablets would be beneficial to 3-year-olds.

Healtheries said more than 90,000 bottles of Kidscare echinacea and vitamin C had been sold since the product went on the market three years ago.

The bottle label recommends that children aged 3 to 8 take one tablet a day with food.

The guidelines were based on information gained from discussions with people, including mothers, within the company about what age children could chew such tablets, according to evidence from Healtheries technical manager Richard Keene.

Mr Keene told the Herald that the company was very concerned about the death.

It would review the coroner's findings about the product "and take sensible action".

He said it was the first time Healtheries had been told of anyone having any difficulties with the tablets.

"We'd have to consider that in light of the serious nature of the incident and take it from there."

Dr Jamieson adjourned the hearing to give Healtheries the opportunity to comment on questions about whether the size of the pills are appropriate for a 3-year-old.

Nicholas' father, Andrew Poole, said the death was a tragic accident that had devastated the family.