Stowmarket boy Nuel-Junior Dzernjo, 10, died at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds from chickenpox complications after immune system compromised by epilepsy treatment, inquest told

The mother of a 10-year-old boy who died from complications related to chickenpox has told an inquest of 'multiple failures' by the health authorities.

Nuel-Junior Dzernjo, of Stowmarket, died at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds on February 22 this year.

He had developed sepsis after coming down with chickenpox.

An inquest at Suffolk Coroner's Court in Ipswich today was told that Nuel was immunocompromised after being put on steroids to help address his epilepsy.

Assistant coroner Catherine Wood read a statement from Solange Dzernjo, Nuel's mother, who accused health workers of failing to recognise the signs of serious medical complications.

The statement reads: "I felt let down by a system that was supposed to help, support, direct and guide me at my time of need."

Mrs Dzernjo added: "We strongly believe that our son's death resulted from multiple failures, from poor communication to suboptimal care."

Mrs Dzernjo noted that Nuel's own father, Emmanuel, works in the A&E unit of a hospital.

She said of this: "My husband was working in A&E at that time, saving other children's lives, while his own son was dying."

The parents take issue with a number of aspects of Nuel's care, after he came down with chickenpox only a week prior to his death.

Giving evidence today was Dr Awais Khan, a community paediatrician who treated Nuel.

A year before his death, Nuel was prescribed steroids to treat his epilepsy.

At the time, his parents were warned that this could have negative side-effects – including the suppression of their son's immune system.

Dr Khan had been supervising Nuel throughout his treatment.

Mr Dzernjo today asked Dr Khan whether there was anything that could have been done to bolster Nuel's immune system in the event of complications.

The doctor said that chickenpox vaccination is not currently recommended for children in the UK, and that this option was not, therefore, available.

On February 20 this year, Mrs Dzernjo brought Nuel to Dr Khan's practice in Ipswich for an appointment regarding his epilepsy treatment.

At this point, Nuel was suffering from chickenpox, and Mrs Dzernjo said his symptoms included constipation, strained breathing and stomach problems.

Dr Khan told Mrs Dzernjo to leave the premises of the practice, as he was concerned by the infection risk Nuel's chickenpox posed to other children.

She asked: "Do you think that the actions you took that morning – considering the GP was just down the corridor from where you were – do you think they were the correct actions?"

Following the conversation with Dr Khan, Mrs Dzerjno arranged for Nuel to see a GP on the same day.

Later that day, Dr Khan followed up with the GP, and, having got an update on Nuel’s case, made a referral to Ipswich Hospital.

As the hospital was operating at capacity, however, Nuel’s appointment there was scheduled for February 21.

Nuel’s case was assigned to the StowHealth practice in Stowmarket.

There, he was assessed by Dr Lynn Dailey, who also spoke in court today.

Dr Dailey made the decision to refer Nuel to a nurse, rather than another doctor.

This was queried by the Dzernjos in court today, who asked whether this was appropriate in light of Nuel’s immunocompromised state, which may have demanded more specialist treatment.

They asked whether doctors were even aware of their son’s previous issues when he reported with chickenpox.

Dr Dailey said that patients’ digital records usually flag up any potential complications when health workers access them.

However, Nuel had been prescribed the steroid prednisolone, which doctors would not have been automatically alerted to.

Dr Dailey said: “Unfortunately, because patients can be on prednisolone for a lot of reasons, it being added to a patient's record will not pull up an alert or a code of being immunocompromised.”

On February 22 – just a week after coming down with chickenpox – Nuel was found unconscious in the bathroom at home.

Around 3.15pm, he was rushed to West Suffolk Hospital, where medics attempted to resuscitate him.

These efforts failed, and Nuel was declared dead within two hours.

The inquest continues.