Toddler died of brain tumour that doctors failed to diagnose 'because they can't possibly arrange a test for every poorly child' 

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Ayaan Hussain, who was almost two, who died from a brain tumour that doctors failed to properly diagnose 

A toddler died from a brain tumour that doctors failed to diagnose after they told his mother they 'can't possibly arrange a test for every poorly child', an inquest has heard.

Ayaan Hussain, who was almost two, started vomiting in October last year and his mother Claire Kennedy took him to accident and emergency at Bristol Children's Hospital when he started to lose his balance.

But an inquest at Avon Coroner's Court heard that doctors diagnosed the youngster with an intolerance to dairy and sent him home.

Less than a week later his worried mother took him back to the hospital after he had been vomiting for five weeks and arching his back.

But the hearing was told an 'uninterested' doctor diagnosed a stomach problem and ignored Miss Kennedy's pleas for more tests.

She told the inquest consultant paediatrician Nicholas Sargant said: 'I cannot possibly arrange a test for every poorly child which comes through this waiting rooms.

Ten days later, Ayaan, from Bristol, suffered a fit and respiratory arrest and when he got to hospital, a brain scan revealed he had a brain tumour.

He died the next day in his mother's arms from swelling on the brain.

The inquest heard that an investigation into the toddler's care concluded he had a 40 to 80 per cent chance of survival for up to five years, if his tumour had been detected earlier.

The coroner ruled that there was a 'missed opportunity' to diagnose the tumour and that she 'considers this to be a failure'.

Speaking at the hearing, his mother added: 'Dr Sargant seemed agitated and uninterested once Ayaan failed to co-operate.

'I believe he didn't listen carefully to all of my concerns which I felt led to the misdiagnosis.

'I begged him to undertake some checks on m son. Dr Sargant replied - and I will never forget his words - I cannot possibly arrange a test for every poorly child, which comes through this waiting room.'

'He was getting more and more unwell before my eyes. His behaviour was now erratic and he was having tantrums that he had never had before.

'Sometimes he would go in to fits of crying and screaming and would often seem confused.'

His mother Claire Kennedy took her son to accident and emergency at Bristol Children's Hospital, pictured, when he started to lose his balance and vomiting but he was diagnosed with a dairy intolerance

During his visit to hospital, Ayaan was treated by doctor Isabell Hancock, a registrar who had been working in the department for three months.

Dr Hancock told the court while she had neurological concerns due to his persistent vomiting, Ayaan's behaviour and checks were normal.

She sought advice from a senior consultant who diagnosed the toddler as having problems digesting dairy, but a paediatrician referral to Ayaan's GP was sent to the wrong address.

She said she wished she had flagged up neurological concerns on his notes but said she couldn't check the toddler's eyes better for evidence of a brain tumour because he was 'hyper'.

Miss Kennedy brought Ayaan back to the emergency department on November 30, after he started holding his ear and arching his back.

She saw consultant paediatrician doctor Nicholas Sargant, who told the inquest it was the busiest day in the emergency department that year.

He told the court Ayaan was 'tired and irritable' so he couldn't complete all of the checks - including a check to observe the back of his eyes - and diagnosed a stomach complaint perhaps caused by lactose intolerance.

He added: 'Whilst we are all devastated that we missed Ayaan's tumour and missed an opportunity probably to save his life - although not certainly - it is a very rare diagnosis.

'What I am most disappointed about is, in terms of seniority, I was the most senior person to have seen Ayaan prior to him presenting in his final admission and this is very hard to live with.

'I have never had anything like this happen to me before and if the story had been presented to me as I have heard it today I have no doubt I would have ordered a scan.'

Avon Coroner's Court, pictured, was told that despite Ayaan's mother pleading with doctors, one told her, 'they can't possibly arrange a test for every poorly child'

On the morning of December 10, Ayaan had a fit and was rushed to hospital after suffering respiratory arrest.

A scan revealed the toddler had a brain tumour and he underwent an emergency operation, but it was unsuccessful and Miss Kennedy was told nothing more could be done.

She said: 'He was placed in my arms and that was where he passed away on December 11 at 4.05pm.'

Senior coroner for Avon, Maria Voisin said she considered it a 'failure' of the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust that signs of the little boy's illness were not picked up sooner.

Recording a narrative conclusion at Avon Coroners' Court she said she considered the second emergency department visit as a 'missed opportunity' to diagnose the tumour and that she 'considers this to be a failure.'

She added that 'on the balance of probability' diagnosis on the visit 'would have resulted in treatment which would have prolonged his [Ayaan's] life.'

Speaking after the case Miss Kennedy said she was pleased with the conclusion and added: 'I hope today prevents this from happening again to anyone else.'

Since the toddler's death the trust has bought a new piece of equipment to photograph the back of children's eyes to check for signs of tumours.

In a statement released after the conclusion, Deborah Lee, deputy chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'We are deeply sorry for Ayaan's death and our thoughts are with his family.

'The coroner has found that there was a missed opportunity to take action following his second visit to our emergency department.

'This was acknowledged through our own investigation, which we did after Ayaan's death, as a way of ensuring that any possible learning was identified.

'As a result, we have implemented additional guidelines for clinicians to minimise the risk of a similar event ever occurring in the future.'