Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Samantha Mordi

Mum blasts doctors who repeatedly missed daughter's brain tumour despite seizure videos

A mum has slammed medics claiming they repeatedly missed her daughter's brain tumour despite her filming horrific seizures the infant suffered.

Baby Esmai Wright is now battling 50/50 odds of survival after she was sent home from hospital several times.

Mum Chloe Wright, 26, from Stoke-on-Trent, said she was given a "different diagnosis" every time they went to A&E.

But they were just sent on their way and told to wait for a referral letter.

Bartender Chloe said doctors assured her that Esmai was "perfectly healthy" even though she was "vacant behind her eyes".

The tot was finally diagnosed with a rare and aggressive anaplastic ependymoma tumour the size of a grapefruit.

Shocking videos show baby Esmai suffering a seizure just hours after doctors dismissed her mum’s fears that she was unwell.

Chloe filmed her baby going into spasm in a desperate bid to show doctors Esmai was seriously unwell.

The first video was taken in Stoke Hospital on October 6 last year and shows the little girl appearing to go into a trance with her eyes wide open.

Mum Chloe holds onto her daughter's hand until the seizure passes.

Despite showing medics the videos, Chloe was repeatedly told Esmai was “perfectly healthy”.

The young girl was finally diagnosed with a tumour the size of a grapefruit (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
Chloe Wright claims bungling doctors repeatedly missed her daughter's brain tumour (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

The next day, Esmai was filmed at home suffering a similar episode which was caused by an undiagnosed brain tumour.

She was finally diagnosed with a large brain tumour and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

A CT scan revealed Esmai had a tumour the size of a grapefruit which had caused her entire brain to be pushed over to the left side of her head.

She has been undergoing gruelling chemotherapy which has left her with painful ulcers and burns in her mouth which Chloe treats with ice cream on her dummy.

Baby Esmai Wright is now battling 50/50 odds of survival (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

Chloe, of Stoke-on-Trent, said she first knew something was wrong when her little girl began "staring into space" in October last year.

She was referred to a walk-in-centre by her local GP and Esmai was diagnosed with rigors – often known as absent seizures.

The two of them were sent home but later that day Esmai suffered further seizures and an ambulance rushed them both to Royal Stoke Hospital.

Chloe said: “We went through a cycle of Esmai having seizures which I would film and show to the healthcare team when we went to hospital.

"Every time we saw a doctor, we had a different diagnosis and each time, we were told that she was perfectly healthy and to wait for the referral letter.”

“I am obviously really angry that it took this long to diagnose my little girl. It is not common at her age to have seizures.

"One doctor went to speak to a practitioner without even seeing Esmai and said they didn't think it was seizures. I was really mad.

“They could have gone down a different route if they had picked it up earlier. I had to fight because I knew something was not right.

“I knew my baby wasn't well and I asked the doctor if he could do something, but he said there was nothing wrong with her.

“I was angry nobody was listening to me.

“My daughter is on chemotherapy now – every two weeks for a year – we have our good and bad days, but I do think this could have been avoided.

"The doctors said she would need at least a year of chemotherapy treatment and that the tumour is life-threatening with a survival rate of 50 per cent.”

Esmai will continue chemotherapy until November and further treatment options of radiotherapy is available should the tumour grow.

Chief Nurse Ann-Marie Riley, from University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, said: “We understand it is an extremely distressing experience for any parent when their child is unwell and we are very sorry that Ms Wright has had cause to complain about the service she and her child received here at UHNM.

“It is our aim to deliver the highest standards of care possible and we are in contact with Ms Wright so we can fully investigate her concerns and resolve any issues.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.