Jack Dunn was only 17-years-old with his entire life ahead of him. Tragically, his potential was cut short because of a preventable error made by those tasked with saving his life.
Jack’s parents blame his doctors for not taking their son’s pain seriously, especially since he was an otherwise fit and healthy teenager. Instead, they misdiagnosed him with a simple case of "bad constipation” and sent him home.
His father, Keiron Dunn told the UK Mirror that his son was in so much pain that he could barely walk and was having trouble breathing. But the doctor dismissed his symptoms as anxiety:
"When Jack was finding it difficult to breathe the doctor thought it was probably anxiety because Jack was anxious about being in hospital,” he explained.
While it’s impossible to predict how things "might have been,” the family strongly believes that Jack did not receive the adequate care he needed. They claim that doctors ignored signs which pointed to a more severe condition. Instead of ordering more tests, Jack was sent home with laxatives and told to rest.
Despite their concerns for the severity of their son’s symptoms, Jack’s parents felt they had to trust the doctor’s diagnosis. After all, the doctor did scan Jack using a barium enema at Royal Glamorgan Hospital and didn’t seem concerned.
So Jack returned home, still suffering from fever and chills, as well as significant back pain. However, the boy followed his doctor’s instructions and went to bed early on April 6, 2017.
The next day, Jack, who his parents described as "full of energy and life, was found dead by his father.
His devasted parents told the UK Mirror:
"Jack went to bed and he complained he had severe pain in his back when we got home and went to bed. He was shaking and his temperature was all over the place. Because we had taken him to A&E we honestly believe it wasn’t anything really serious and that it would pass with a good sleep.”
His death was even more shocking since his parents made sure to check in on their son throughout the previous day.
"That night and the following day me and my wife Claire checked on him all through the day. But when I went and to check on late the following evening he wasn’t breathing and when I touched him he was ice cold.”
Jack’s father tried to give his son CPR, but the child was already gone.
Later, an autopsy revealed that the young computer science student died of diabetic ketoacidosis. It turns out that Jack’s constipation was so severe that his body began making high levels of blood acids called ketones.
Although his white blood cell counted had been high, Jack’s doctors failed to test for ketones in his urine, a test which could have saved the boy’s life.
In fact, Mr. Dunn said that had his son been given a glucose and salt saline drip at the hospital, his child may have survived. But his parents did not know at the time to request the treatment.
Even though there’s nothing they can do to bring their son back, Jack’s parents are speaking out about the tragedy so other people can recognize the signs and raise the possibility with their doctors.
"I have to speak out both for Jack and our family which has been utterly devastated by his loss. People need to know what a deadly condition ketoacidosis is.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, a few of the symptoms of ketoacidosis include excessive thirst, nausea and vomiting, frequent urination, shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, abdominal pain, and confusion.
If you are someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, especially if you have diabetes or at risk of the disease, ask your doctor to do a urine test to check your ketone level.
Jack’s story illustrates that the condition can become fatal very quickly. But if doctors can catch it early enough, it can be treated using insulin and proper medication.
Please share Jack’s story with your family and friends to help raise awareness.
