Newborn admitted to hospital after initially ignored by a doctor at medical centre

A new mother has revealed her six-week-old son (pictured) almost died after a doctor turned them away at the end of a rushed consultation 

A new mother has revealed her six-week-old son almost died after a doctor turned them away at the end of a rushed consultation.

Maddi Taylor became concerned after noticing strange discharge coming out of her newborn’s penis and took baby Huxley to a general practitioner who found he was running a temperature of 39C.

The 24-year-old woman told Daily Mail Australia the doctor at the New South Wales medical centre simply told her to wipe the area and give the boy Panadol before he pushed her out ‘as quick as possible’ without ‘any explanation’ to what was wrong with the infant.

The boy’s concerned grandmother told Ms Taylor to seek a second opinion from another doctor, who quickly admitted the boy to hospital on Tuesday. 

Maddi Taylor became concerned after noticing strange discharge coming out of her newborn's penis and took baby Huxley to a general practitioner who found he was running a temperature of 39C (Huxley pictured in hospital)

Maddi Taylor became concerned after noticing strange discharge coming out of her newborn’s penis and took baby Huxley to a general practitioner who found he was running a temperature of 39C (Huxley pictured in hospital)

The 24-year-old mother (pictured with her son) told Daily Mail Australia the doctor at a NSW medical centre told her to wipe area and give the boy Panadol but they sought second opinion

The 24-year-old mother (pictured with her son) told Daily Mail Australia the doctor at a NSW medical centre told her to wipe area and give the boy Panadol but they sought second opinion

The newborn was put on a drip after being diagnosed with an infection that could have become deadly is left untreated.  

‘I was absolutely devastated that someone could just tell you something was normal without checking a six-week-old baby out and then sending you on your way,’ the distraught mother said. 

E. COLI INFECTION

WHAT IS IT?

A bacteria found in the lower intestines of humans and animals where most varieties are harmless.

Adults can catch it through eating infected meats like beef.

HOW DO BABIES CATCH E. COLI?

Most newborns catch the infection during childbirth as the bacteria is passed from the mother’s genital tract to the baby.  

IS E. COLI DEADLY?

Children under the age of five and the elderly can get quite sick from the infection. Death can occur if left untreated. 

WHAT CAN E. COLI LEAD TO?

The infection can cause septicaemia (or blood poisoning) if contracted shortly after birth.  

Most E. coli meningitis cases occur in newborns babies or babies under three months old. 

HOW IS IT TREATED?

Through antibiotics. 

Source: World Health Organisation 

‘Yet my little boy could have died if this infection wasn’t treated.’

‘If the infection had spread through his body to his brain it could have caused serious damage.’

Huxley is expected to remain in hospital for at least two days.

‘I was heartbroken, all the pain he was in whilst trying to urinate made me so upset and I was willing to take the (first) doctor’s advice and go home without thinking twice,’ Ms Taylor said. 

‘The longer he would have gone without treatment the worst my little boy would have been.’

The baby was diagnosed with an E. Coli urinary tract infection (UTI) which may have caused meningococcal if it went untreated.

‘Even if (Huxley) goes home tomorrow he will still have to be on oral antibiotics for the next few days,’ the young mother told Daily Mail Australia.

‘If it wasn’t for my mum wanting to see another doctor, I would have gone home and assumed nothing of it, especially being a first time mum.

‘I’m very disappointed with the first doctor … I do not want to waste my time on someone who has no duty of care for his patients.’

While her newborn is getting the required treatment, Ms Taylor said she encouraged other parents to get a second opinion if they felt something not quite right. 

The devastated mother shared her experience online with thousands of other families offering their support. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the medical centre for comment.

The newborn (pictured) was put on a drip after being diagnosed with a potentially deadly infection which could have spread to his brain if it went untreated 

The newborn (pictured) was put on a drip after being diagnosed with a potentially deadly infection which could have spread to his brain if it went untreated 



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