Baby's stroke treatment complaint

Daisy Pritchard was unable to speak or move her right side

A mother has complained about a lack of information provided from two hospitals after her 21-month-old daughter suffered a stroke.

Daisy Pritchard, from Penycae, near Wrexham, had major heart surgery at Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool.

Nine days later she went home but after a check up at Wrexham's Maelor hospital she went back to Liverpool where a CT scan showed she had suffered a stroke.

North East Wales NHS Trust said a care plan for Daisy had now been agreed.

Her parents had a meeting with officials from Wrexham Maelor Hospital officials to discuss her treatment on Monday.

Daisy had been diagnosed with a heart defect early in June and she underwent a double heart by-pass at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool on 27 June.

After the operation her condition deteriorated and she spent five days on a life support machine. She was discharged nine days after surgery.

"She was lethargic, she couldn't move," said her mother Eileen Pritchard of her daughter's health when she left hospital.

"We were told she was in shock. We went to our local hospital Wrexham Maelor A&E because we were concerned.

"We thought she was showing signs of someone who had had a stroke because she had a droopy mouth but we didn't realise a child could have a stroke."

I'm optimistic now, two weeks ago I never thought we'd see what we're seeing now. Eileen Pritchard

Mrs Pritchard said medical staff at Wrexham Maelor recognised that Daisy had suffered a stroke but this was not confirmed with a CT scan until they took her to Alder Hey hospital on 8 July.

Mrs Pritchard and her husband David have criticised both hospitals after they said they were not given any information about strokes and were not offered counselling.

"I found the Stroke Association on the internet and they have been absolutely brilliant with us. But I don't feel that we should have been in that position where we have had to find that out for ourselves," she said.

After Daisy left Alder Hey hospital, Mrs Pritchard says she was unable to speak, was unable to move her right side, recognise her pet dog or the things she had learnt.

But her mother says her movement and speech has improved dramatically in the time since.

"It's incredible we have seen such an improvement in such a short time," said Mrs Pritchard.

"The child I came home with was not our daughter. As far as I was concerned she'd died in that hospital and they had sent us home with a stranger. How she has pulled through I don't know.

"I'm optimistic now. Two weeks ago I never thought we'd see what we're seeing now. She is just so strong."

Care plan

North East Wales NHS Trust said it could not make a detailed comment on particular patient cases but it did confirm that a multi-disciplinary team meeting involving Daisy's parents and health professionals had taken place on Monday.

"A care plan for Daisy has been agreed, pulling together the combined skills of a number of clinical disciplines to ensure that appropriate treatment and therapy are provided," said a spokesman for the trust.

"We have also agreed with the family that we will undertake a review of the care that has been provided to address any concerns and questions that the family may have and ensure that the health service learns from any areas where we feel that the level of service fell short of that which we would usually expect to provide."

Alder Hey Hospital is being asked to comment.