Mother accuses nurses of neglecting her seriously ill newborn daughter

A furious mother claims a hospital ‘neglected’ her seriously sick daughter and ‘didn’t even notice’ when she contracted a bacterial infection.

Mother-of-five Angela Harris said she had left her 14-month old daughter Lillian at a Queensland Hospital on Sunday and went to see her other four children. 

Baby Lillian, who has been in hospital most of her life, was born with congenital heart disease and chronic lung disease and is currently in ICU after life-threatening open heart surgery. 

When Ms Harris arrived back at the hospital on Sunday, her daughter had developed Pseudomonas, a serious bacterial infection. 

‘I pulled Lillian’s dummy out of her mouth to find her whole inside of her mouth covered in what looks like to be ulcers and they didn’t even notice her tongue is so swollen,’ she said on Lillian Harris Heart Journey Facebook page.  

‘Then they put cream on her neck…[and] it has burnt her and made her neck swollen and they didn’t even notice that either,’ Ms Harris said on Facebook

‘I go home for one day to pick up my other kids and come back to Lillian has pseudomonas in her urine, her lungs and in her breathing tube.’ 

Pseudomonas are a bacteria that cause infection and can be a serious threat if a person is in hospital or has a weakened immune system. 

‘Then they put cream on her neck…[and] it has burnt her and made her neck swollen and they didn’t even notice that either,’ Ms Harris said.  

‘Can’t even leave for one day without the neglect in this hospital.’ 

A Children’s Health Queensland spokesman said Lillian had been appropriately treated.  

‘Mouth ulcers can be common in critically ill children. Lillian’s ulcers have been investigated and appropriately treated,’ the spokesman told The Courier Mail.

‘Lillian is receiving antibiotic treatment for a pseudomonas infection and is being monitored by the hospital’s infectious diseases team.’

The spokesman added that Lillian’s skin had reacted to Cavalon cream, causing her rash. 

Ms Harris is angry that the hospital ignored her concerns and her daughter is still in hospital almost two months later

She was shocked to discover Lillian ended up with perforation in her stomach after her lining separated

Meanwhile, in February, a routine feeding tube change resulted in Lillian’s stomach lining separating.

‘Her stomach doesn’t work properly because of their stuff up and she is now being fed through her bowel,’ Ms Harris said.    

She said her daughter had a bowel obstruction following the procedure and had to undergo three major abdominal surgeries within a week. 

The mother-of-five claims that doctors refused to listen to her concerns.

‘She was in hospital for four days with her stomach out until they operated. I knew something wasn’t right,’ Ms Harris said.   

Baby Lillian was born with severe congenital heart disease and chronic lung disease and is currently in ICU after life-threatening open heart surgery 

Three days after the procedure she had a bowel obstruction and has had to undergo three major abdominal surgeries since

‘I don’t want this happening to another little child like it has with Lillian. She didn’t ask for this life and they were supposed to help her.’ 

A Children’s Health Queensland spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Children with multiple and complex conditions, like Lillian, can experience issues with wounds healing after surgery. 

‘After a procedure to change Lillian’s gastrostomy tube in February, a breakdown of the wound site resulted in a small amount of fat tissue protruding around the tube.’  

‘As a result, clinicians decided to remove the gastrostomy tube and close the abdominal wound. 

‘We continue to work closely with Lillian’s family to support them through her latest hospital stay and ensure the best possible outcome for Lillian.’ 

Angela Harris took her 14-month daughter Lillian, who has a serious heart condition, to have her feeding tube changed