Cerebral Palsy blog

Caitlin Lang who suffered severe permanent damage after her doctor failed to recognize the early signs of meningitis when she was 3 months old, has been awarded £3.3 million, which is intended to help her and her mother cope with the multiple disabilities she will suffer from for the rest of her life. The nine year old girl who suffers from cerebral palsy and severe learning disabilities, will never actually “enjoy” any of that money. And when you think about it, it’s sad that an error can cause a person to suffer so tragically.
The money was awarded to Caitlin’s mom, Nicola who has been waging a battle on her daughter’s behalf, claiming all along that Caitlin’s disability was caused by a tragic case of medical negligence. The error came in the form of a delay of 48 hours in getting Caitlin to a hospital which resulted in this “normal” infant spending the rest of her life as an invalid.
In January 2000 when Caitlin was 3 months old, she took ill and her mother brought her to a GP service in the Vale of Glamorgan. Doctor Salih told her that the baby was suffering from gastric flu. The doctor sent the mother and baby home and told Nicola to give her baby Calpol. Nicola followed the doctor’s advise. At home Caitlin’s symptoms got worse and 2 days after their visit to the GP service, her mother found Caitlin virtually lifeless in her crib. The baby was taken to Llandough Hospital where the doctors diagnosed pneumococcal meningitis. From there she was taken to University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where she underwent life saving treatment for the next seven weeks.
According to Miss Lang, Caitlin was in a coma and on life support. The doctors warned her that her baby could suffer permanent brain damage, but she hoped against hope that her little baby would recover. Nine months later she learned the terrible truth, Caitlin did have a permanent disability, she suffered from cerebral palsy.
Nicola Lang was awarded this large sum because it was incontrovertible that had her pneumococcal meningitis been diagnosed by the doctor who first examined her at the GP service and had he directed her to the hospital care she so desperately needed, Caitlin would today be a healthy nine year old. The 48 hour delay in making the proper diagnosis, cost one little girl a normal life.
Because of the generous monetary settlement, Caitlin will be able to remain at her current school, Craig-y-Parc, in Cardiff, and continue receiving the therapy and treatment she needs until age 19.
In a case like this there are clearly no “winners”. The Lang’s now have the money they will need to give Caitlin the very best care available to her, but no money in the world can compensate a mother who knows that her daughter could have led a healthy life, were it not for one terrible mistake in diagnostic judgment. Nicola will be able to afford the extraordinary care her daughter needs, but she will never see her as the happy little girl with a room full of playmates, that should have been.