The heel prick test will now be accompanied by testing for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare muscle-wasting condition that can potentially lead to a child's death by the age of two.
A family is enduring significant hardship as they desperately seek a diagnosis for their 14-month-old daughter, who is battling a mysterious, undiagnosed illness. Elyza, the daughter of Yasmin Whittington, 30, from Brechin, Angus, is afflicted by an unknown condition manifesting as persistent sickness, poor feeding, diminished muscle tone, and chronic fatigue.
In birth injury cases, the collection of evidence is crucial for establishing liability and demonstrating the extent of harm suffered by the child and family. Without sufficient evidence, it becomes challenging to prove that the injury was preventable and that the healthcare providers failed in their duty of care.
Sofii Lewis described her experience, stating, "I knew I wasn't safe. But I didn't think I was out of control." This highlights the confusion many face with postpartum psychosis.
The failure to prescribe the medication correctly was a failure in basic care and this was compounded by the failure to recognise the hypocalcaemia and the mis-prescribing across multiple shifts and clinical disciplines. There were thus multiple missed opportunities to recognise the prescribing error and overdose and its effects in a timely fashion that may have improved the outcome for Sidra and prevented her death.
A Genexa survey of 1,000 U.S. moms found that 70% use their own sick days to stay home when their child is ill, and 58% work from home while caregiving. In other words, many of us are doing the same impossible math: caring for sick kids while trying to keep our work lives moving.
While noting women 'were treated with kindness and compassion', a 'requires improvement' rating was given. Inspectors said hospital management 'did not always support staff well-being' and 'were not always visible within the service and were sometimes perceived as unsupportive'. Staff reported they were confident to report incidents, however, were not always assured action would be taken.
Expectant mothers lost an average of nearly five per cent of their grey matter, the tissue responsible for processing emotions, information, and empathy. This loss isn't a sign of decline as Lead researcher Professor Susana Carmona of the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute likened it to pruning a tree. 'Some branches are cut to make it grow more efficiently,' she explained.
It is really, really hard. He said the family had 'cried and begged for help' in meetings at home. 'Does our family unit have to break down? Does it have to get to a point where we no longer sustain this and then they'll step in and give you support? Because right now that's where we're at. We don't have any alternatives. If grandparents were an option, we'd already be doing it.'
I attended A&E multiple times complaining of pain, tachycardia (increased heart rate), sickness - I couldn't keep anything down... but they didn't listen. Angel-Kay Mason fell pregnant with her daughter in June 2022 aged 19. Due to a family history of complex pregnancies, she says she was deemed to be high-risk but says she was not referred to a consultant and did not receive any extra scans.
When she was 16, Bethan James told her YouTube channel that by 2026 she hoped to have a partner, an enjoyable job and maybe even children. Bethan would have been 27 now - but her dreams were taken when she died aged 21 from a combination of sepsis, pneumonia and Crohn's disease. Bethan's sepsis wasn't spotted early enough and life-saving care was delayed.
RSV season in the U.S. typically peaks in January and February, with cases often stretching well into March. National emergency room visits and hospitalizations from the virus in kids ages four and younger have dipped slightly but are growing overall in more than a dozen states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest report on January 16.
Babies in the Midlands and North of England are more likely to die before, during or shortly after birth than those in the South, a new study has found. Researchers analysed data from 121 maternity services in England to see which centres repeatedly produced outcomes better or worse than the average between 2013 and 2022. The 10 worst-performing centres were in the Midlands and North of England, and the 15 best-performing in the South.
Balancing a nursing career with family life means thinking a few steps ahead, without blowing everything up in the process. Many experienced nurses reach a stage where growth needs to be practical, not disruptive. The appeal lies in finding ways to widen responsibility and keep doors open while staying employable across different settings, all while working around real-world schedules and family commitments. It is less about chasing status and more about building a future that still works on a Tuesday afternoon.
You know that parental instinct when something just isn't quite right with your child? You text your mom friends and gut check with your partner, but you don't think you're being anxious - something might really be wrong. Well, odds are your instinct could be spot-on: A new study published in the JAMA Network found that parents were right 9 times out of 10 when they suspected their child was seriously ill or injured.
"If you or someone you love is going to give birth in a hospital, there is a question you need to ask before you go that can determine whether you are likely to have safe care or not," said labor and delivery nurse Jen Hamilton. Her multi-part TikTok videos amassed a combined 300,000 views their first 24 hours. "You need to know whether the hospital you are going to give birth in follows AWHONN's safe staffing standards," she continued.
A trial in the US found that applying stem cells from the mother's placenta to her baby's spine while it was being repaired was safe and improved the child's mobility and quality of life. Dr Diana Farmer, who led the study, said it was conceivable that the experimental therapy could become the usual way that spina bifida is treated before babies are born.