Our son was diagnosed with 'constipation' - and died four days later

The parents of a two-year-old boy who died of a 'brain injury caused by sepsis' just four days after doctors allegedly diagnosed him with constipation, have today demanded answers from the hospital who treated him. 

Hudson Cole Perrins died on June 27 this year — four days after his worried father, Greg, first took him to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton with stomach pain.

The 'cheeky' toddler, who was just a month away from his third birthday, had a complex medical history, including bladder and kidney issues and a heart problem.

Despite this, doctors were quick to diagnose him with constipation, his family claimed.

Now his mother Kayleigh Taundry, who works for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust which also runs New Cross, is demanding answers from the hospital.

She believes hospital staff took the most 'obvious' route of diagnosing and treating him for constipation even when she claims there was little evidence of it.   

She said: 'As a family, we just want lessons to be learned and we don't want any other family to go through everything that we've been through because it's just devastating. 

'The ground's just opened up and we've all just fallen into a black hole, and we don't want this to happen again.

'He was one month from turning three. He was very cheeky and boisterous, but really loving as well. He really loved a cuddle and was really affectionate. He was our baby.

'Hudson was born with a heart defect and had to undergo heart surgery at seven months old. We thought that would be the worst hurdle he would have to overcome.

'He was finally turning a corner. He was finally catching up, he was finally starting to develop alongside his peers, he was finally starting to talk and we just didn't expect this at all.

'We are all still in denial. I can't put it into words — he was a beautiful boy.'

Hudson's father Greg rushed him to A&E in the early hours of June 23. 

Doctors felt a hardness in Hudson's tummy and diagnosed him with constipation. 

They allegedly gave him two suppositories and an enema before sending him home, despite him not having had a bowel movement. 

The following day, his mother Kayleigh and her partner Shannon Waightman, returned to New Cross, as Hudson had started having seizures and was still in pain. 

Hudson was transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit a Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where he was placed on life support. 

He sadly died three days later. 

The interim cause of death was given as brain injury caused by urosepsis — a type of sepsis which occurs when a urinary tract infection (UTI) spreads to the kidneys. 

However, the full circumstances of Hudson's death will be examined at a coroner's inquest this month. 

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Kayleigh stressed that she in no way blames Hudson's father for what happened when he first took Hudson to hospital, but believes staff should have made more efforts to contact her as Hudson's next of kin.

She said: 'His dad was keeping me updated, he kept texting me throughout the time he was in A&E with Hudson, but it was through the night so I was unaware until I woke up the next morning. By that time everything had already happened.

'I think I should have been notified by the hospital. I would have been able to advocate for him a bit more. 

'I know Hudson inside and out and, with having a medical background, I feel I could have pushed for some things, because I know what should have been done and what was available to be carried out.

'We have never had any other fault with New Cross. Even when my partner and I took him back in, we can't fault the care we received.

'Maybe it was the staff members that were on, or the time of day. When his Dad took him it was night shift, when we took him it was day shift. You think, what if? What if it was a day shift, what if I took him – it's all just what ifs?'

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Kayleigh said there are still so many unanswered questions including: Why was no urine sample taken, especially in light of Hudson's history of bladder and kidney problems? And why was no other cause of his tummy pain and hardness investigated other than constipation? 

She also questioned why Hudson was discharged despite having had no bowel movement? How did they record a pain score of two when Hudson wouldn't have been able to describe that? And why wasn't Hudson given pain relief despite clearly being in pain?

Kayleigh added: 'On his interim death certificate it says brain injury with a leading cause of urosepsis, but the evidence is inconsistent as to whether that was the case.

'We're none the wiser. I'm hoping we get more answers from the Inquest, because at the moment we feel lost.'

The inquest is scheduled to be heard at the Black Country Coroner's Court on December 5 and 9. 

Clinical negligence expert Michael Portman-Hann, from leading Midlands law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, who is supporting the family, said: 'This is a tragic case that has left the family with so many questions and concerns. 

'We will support them in any way we can to make sure no other family goes through this trauma.'

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said it could not comment until the inquest had finished.