Boy dies of pneumococcal meningitis after being sent home twice with Pamol

Alivia Reynish, a first-time mother in Nelson is demanding answers following the death of her three-year-old son, Braxton. Photo / Supplied

A Nelson mother wants answers, following the death of her three-year-old boy from pneumococcal meningitis after doctors sent him home twice with Pamol and ibuprofen, for a suspected viral infection.

Nelson Hospital has launched a review into the case.

“I just wanted them to do their job,” Alivia Reynish told the Weekend Herald through tears.

Alivia Reynish, a first-time mother had already jumped through health hurdles with her son, Braxton when he was born with a “misshaped head”.

A midwife quickly identified the condition as craniosynostosis, which had to be resolved through a two-hour operation.

Then, in late September this year, Braxton was picked up from kindy showing signs of fatigue and lethargy.

The following morning he complained of headaches, which didn’t stop after two days so Reynish took him to the doctor.

During the appointment, it was discovered Braxton had severe stomach pain so he was sent to Nelson Hospital with what was believed to be appendicitis.

“The appendix doctor came in and pressed on his stomach, he said [Braxton] should be screaming which he wasn’t, so it wasn’t his appendix,” Reynish said.

Reynish said Braxton had been picked up from Kindy in late September when he was showing signs of fatigue and lethargy. Photo / Supplied

She claims she was then told by hospital staff they would be doing blood tests and prepped Braxton for the tests.

An X-ray was done on the child which didn’t reveal the problem but Reynish claims no blood tests were carried out at the time.

“They gave him Pamol and ibuprofen and he seemed fine at the time, which is maybe why they didn’t do the tests.”

Reynish said the hospital determined Braxton had a viral infection and was sent home. However, two days later Braxton was back at the doctors with ongoing symptoms.

Again, she was told it was a viral infection and he was sent home with Pamol and ibuprofen.

When Braxton’s eye wouldn’t stop swelling, he was once more taken to Nelson Hospital where CT scans were done.

Hospital staff said while there was the possibility of meningitis, the scan results were fine but he was to be sent to Starship Hospital in Auckland for further tests.

“We arrived at Starship and there were ten doctors on him at once figuring out the problem, there was a noticeable difference in hospital response,” Reynish said.

Starship’s scans revealed something very different - Braxton was immediately rushed to surgery after it was determined he had pneumococcal meningitis, a form of bacteria in the brain.

The child was sedated after the surgery - which drained all but a small portion of the bacteria - and given antibiotics to fight the remaining disease.

However, another CT scan the following day showed the antibiotics hadn’t made any impact.

Braxton, pictured with mother Alivia had Pneumococcal meningitis, a form of bacteria in the brain. Photo / Supplied

“That was when they told me it was pretty unlikely he’d come home again,” said Reynish.

“He’d been complaining of headaches for two weeks, the whole (time) we just didn’t know what to do.”

Eight days after learning of Braxton’s condition, Reynish could only watch helplessly as her three-year-old son passed away.

“I had a blurry mind, it was just numb,” she said.

“I know I should be grieving, I just try to keep my mind off it - I go to the gym and have a dog, so I just try to think of something different.”

Reynish said while her mother and partner have been rocks in her life, she’s left wondering “what if” - reflecting on what could have been done differently once Braxton’s symptoms showed.

“Nelson Hospital should have done those tests. They said it was a viral infection but they never did any tests - so what type of infection was it?”

“There’s only so much a mother can do, he’s crying in agony and holding his head - what was I meant to do? Why didn’t the hospital do anything?” said Reynish as she cried.

“I just wanted them to do their jobs.”

Te Whatu Ora, on behalf of Nelson Hospital, expressed their heartfelt condolences to Reynish’s family on the matter during what they knew was “an incredibly difficult time”.

Chief medical officer Steve Low said the agency didn’t comment publicly on the care of individual patients but confirmed a review process for the case was ongoing.

“If there are recommendations to improve our processes we will make changes,” he said.

“The family is part of this process, and we thank them for their willingness to be involved.”

The Ministry of Health explains that pneumococcal meningitis, an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord is caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

Children with medical issues such as congenital heart disease, kidney diseases or some chronic lung conditions are at a higher risk of contracting the illness.

Common symptoms include fever and chills, chest pain, shortness of breath and coughing.

According to Community and Public Health, around 150 pre-school children get a severe invasive pneumococcal disease each year in New Zealand, many more are hospitalised with pneumonia.

The Meningitis Foundation presented a petition to Government in early 2022 to provide free vaccines for all preventable forms of meningococcal disease, a form of meningitis, to students in Year 11, or at 16 years of age.