In a disturbing discovery, it has been reported by the California Department of Health that doctors were slow to diagnose whooping cough in eight infants, throughout the state, who later died from it. Department immunization official Dr. John Talarico wrote a letter to state health care providers saying the infants were treated for nasal congestion or mild respiratory infection, and it was too late to prevent death from pertussis by the time it was diagnosed.
California is in its worst year of whooping cough in more than 50 years, with 3,600 cases reported so far this year. Doctors have been told to treat infants under six months of age for pertussis during the current epidemic. Health officials are urging physicians to suspect the bacterial disease in infants having trouble breathing. The disease peaks like this about every five years, with the last peak occuring in 2005 when California reported more than 3,000 cases, 574 hospitalizations and seven deaths. A typical case starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks or months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound.
It appears that some of these deaths could have been prevented if there were a correct diagnosis. If so, that is medical malpractice. If you have a malpractice case and need the services of an attorney who understands what should happen and what shouldn't happen in a hospital, contact Dr. Bruce G. Fagel, an attorney who is also a licensed medical doctor. Call him at 800/541-9376 for a free consultation. Visit him online at www.fagellaw.com.
