Catastrophic Reaction

A five-year-old boy died from a severe reaction to chickenpox after doctors told his parents he was fine, it has been reported.

Fabio Nunes, of Redhill, Surrey, first developed symptoms of the illness in early February and was rushed to hospital on February 14 too weak to move.

Doctors at the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill prescribed antibiotics and sent him home, advising his mother Anna to give him infant paracetamol, the Daily Mail reported.

"The doctors didn't even check him over, or test his blood or anything," Fabio's father Ricardo said. "I was astonished when my wife came back home with him."

Three days later Fabio's condition had worsened and he was taken back to hospital and transferred to the specialist Evelina Children's Hospital at Guy's and St Thomas' in London. He died two weeks later of multiple organ failure.

An inquest is expected to be held, and the hospital has also launched an investigation. A coroner's report said Fabio had had a catastrophic reaction to chickenpox.

"I strongly believe if the doctors had just checked him over properly he would be alive today," Mr Nunes said.

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