Dad: What’s wrong with our daughter? (From Echo)

Dad: What’s wrong with our daughter?

9:20am Thursday 17th May 2012 in Castle Point By Christine Sexton

A FATHER has lodged a complaint against Southend Hospital after medics failed to uncover what was wrong with his daughter.

Sydney Compton, 11, of Hilversum Way, Canvey, became ill with headaches, stomach pains and sickness in February and underwent tests at the hospital.

The Winter Gardens Primary School pupil was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a condition which causes extreme tiredness and is believed by some to be psychological.

However, her parents, Debbie and Mark Compton, questioned the diagnosis and asked the hospital to carry out a scan.

Mr Compton, 36, said: “The scan revealed Sydney had fat all around her liver and some sort of sludge in her gall bladder, but the consultant said that was normal for an 11-year-old.

“We asked for another hospital to assess the scan and he got King’s College Hospital, in London, to look at it.

“We heard nothing, so we called King’s and they said they had requested Sydney be referred to them, but then we were told the consultant paediatrician had gone on holiday.”

The Echo called Southend Hospital and within an hour the Comptons had received a call saying the referral had been made.

On Monday night, Sydney’s sickness and pain increased and she was referred to Basildon Hospital, where she spent the night before being discharged.

Mr Compton said: “They seemed very concerned this has been going on so long, but they said without her notes they couldn’t treat her.

“We are just really worried she might have liver or gall bladder disease. She has missed so much schooling. It’s been a complete nightmare.”

Jacqueline Totterdell, chief executive of Southend Hospital, said: “We have received a complaint regarding this patient and it is currently being investigated.

“We have sent a written acknowledgement to the family with an indication of when we anticipate we will have completed our investigations.

“In the meantime we will, of course, do all we can to assist them in their request for a second opinion.”