Couple furious after hospital fails to detect toddler's broken neck from car accident
Parents of a one-year-old girl in NSW are demanding answers after their daughter’s broken neck from a car crash went undetected by doctors.
Elise and Ben Bellchambers are now facing the prospect their daughter Lorelei will be paralysed for life as the family faces a painstaking six-week period to discover the extent of her injuries.
Ms Bellchambers was driving with her daughter when they were involved in a head-on collision last Monday.
They were rushed to Wyong Hospital on the Central Coast where they underwent medical assessment.
They were released from hospital five hours later but despite Lorelei showing signs of discomfort, medical staff failed to X-ray her.
“She needed that scan done,” Ms Bellchambers told 7News.
As her discomfort worsened, she was again taken to Wyong Hospital via ambulance on Tuesday and she was transferred to Gosford Hospital the following day.
A surgeon examined her at 11am and later placed her in a neck brace before being flown to Westmead Hospital on Wednesday evening.
She was placed in an induced coma to ensure she remained still.
Over 48 hours on from the crash, medical staff finally discovered she had fractured her C1 and C2 vertebrae at the top of her spine.
Lorelei, who is three months from her second birthday, was placed in a half-body cast which she must spend six weeks wearing as Ms Bellchambers and her husband Ben Bellchambers anxiously wait to see if any permanent damage has been done.
“We are past angry, we are furious,” Ms Bellchambers said.
The couple now face financial uncertainty as they balance work with spending time with their daughter. The couple have fallen behind in rent and face the prospect of losing their home.
Mr Bellchambers’ sister Tamarra has since set up a Facebook fundraiser to assist the devastated family.
“This poor family is struggling and need all the help they can get to ensure they have a house to go to once Lorelei gets the all clear to go home,” she wrote online.
“They also need to prepare for the future if Lorelei needs surgery, physio and if any permanent damage is done she may need aids such as walking frame or wheelchair.
“The possibilities are endless at this stage until we know further.”
NSW Health Department have apologised to the family over the incident and revealed an investigation into the matter is a priority, 7News reported.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted the Central Coast Local Health District for comment.
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