Ryleigh Hillcoat-Bee was admitted to hospital after she became poorly on a family holiday to North Wales.
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Doctors found that the little girl had levels of potassium in her blood and ‘extraordinarily high’ levels of Creatine Kinase in her blood.
The symptoms are associated with, a serious muscle condition. rhabdomyolysis. Despite this Ryleigh was sent home from hospital.
Three months later her parents Caroline and Andrew rushed her back to A&E after she suffered breathing difficulties.
She suffered a cardiac arrest at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and died on Monday, November 8, 2021.
An inquest held last week at Blackpool Coroner’s Court Area Coroner Alan Wilson ruled that there had been several ‘missed opportunities’ to scrutinise Ryleigh’s lack of mobility before discharging her in August.
Representing Ryleigh’s parents Diane Rostron, medical negligence solicitor, said: “The hospital was given clear advice from colleagues in Leeds during Ryleigh’s admission in August 2021 to seek specialist advice from a neuromuscular specialist.
“Had they done so, identifying rhabdomyolysis, and advice on how to treat a flare up, would have followed. The hospital would and should have then provided this information to Ryleigh’s parents while the root cause of Ryleigh’s condition was being investigated.
“Ryleigh died on 8th November 2021 just three months after being discharged at the very hospital where she was born a little over three years earlier.
“Instead of being advised that Ryleigh was suffering from rhabdomyolysis and providing her parents with guidance on how to manage this safely, my clients were instead told that Ryleigh would recover as quickly as she became unwell.
“We believe that Ryleigh’s death could have been prevented and have been instructed to pursue a medical negligence claim.”
Ryleigh’s parents Andrew Hillcoat and Caroline Bee said: “We are very upset at the loss of our little girl. We had to fight for a full inquest into her death and it has been a long and traumatising journey.
“We are devastated about the coroner’s finding despite robust evidence that Ryleigh’s rhabdomyolysis flare up in August 2021 could and should have been effectively managed.
“We believe that Ryleigh should still be here today, but she was not given any chance of survival.”
What is rhabdomyolysis?
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes your muscles to break down (disintegrate), which leads to muscle death.
When this happens, toxic components of muscle enter the circulation system and kidneys. This can cause kidney damage.
This dangerous muscle condition can result from overexertion, trauma, medications or an underlying health condition.
Common signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis are weak muscles, muscle stiffness, muscle pain and a change in your pee colour.
Source: The Cleveland Clinic
Chris Barben, Executive Medical Director at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would first of all like to offer sincere condolences to Ryleigh’s family and everyone touched by her life personally and on behalf of everyone at the Trust.
“While we know this cannot bring Ryleigh back, we will be carefully considering the Coroner’s findings around the way the Trust conducted itself during this tragic incident to ensure that we learn everything we can from what happened and work to prevent anything like it happening again.”
Caroline’s sister-in-law Katie Hobbs ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon in 2022 and set up a fundraiser to raise money for The Compassionate Friends charity which raised more than £3,000.
Katie wrote on the GoFundMe page: “In November last year my sister-in law Caroline and her partner Andrew’s daughter Ryleigh died suddenly and unexpectedly.
“Her loss has been devastating for her parents and everyone that knew her.
“She was a smiley, happy little girl who brought so much much joy and magic wherever she went.
“I am running for the compassionate friends because they have been a real support to Ryleigh’s amazing parents through the toughest time of their lives.
“The charity have put them in touch with other bereaved parents and have organised a retreat they will go on to meet each other in person.”