GP practice failed to investigate symptoms of diabetes in a 15–month–old baby

What happened

Baby V went to the practice on a number of occasions for coughs and wheezing, and the GP prescribed him prednisolone. Baby V then started to urinate excessively and to be unusually thirsty. His parents mentioned their concerns about diabetes but the practice did not address these symptoms. Baby V later developed diabetic ketoacidosis (a severe lack of insulin) which resulted in his emergency admission to hospital.

Baby V's parents complained that their concerns about their son  exhibiting symptoms of diabetes were ignored. They said that the prednisolone given was so excessive as to have contributed to Baby V's diabetes and that the practice failed to treat his respiratory symptoms appropriately.

What we found

The practice acted reasonably in its care and management of Baby V's respiratory symptoms. The dosages of prednisolone were both clinically indicated and within accepted parameters. The use of prednisolone was not responsible for Baby V developing type I diabetes.

The practice failed to properly investigate the symptoms of diabetes in line with expected standards. This resulted in a lost opportunity to diagnose and treat Baby V's condition, which then resulted in Baby V developing a significant clinical complication.

Putting it right

The practice apologised to Baby V's parents and provided them with written assurances that the appropriate tests for diabetes would be conducted in future. They also paid Baby V's parents £1,000 in recognition of the distress and suffering caused by the clinical complications that arose from the practice's failure to follow clinical guidelines.