Boy, 7, dies after GPs missed he was severely malnourished | UK News

A young boy died because doctors overlooked his severely malnourished state, an inquest heard.

Alfie Anthony Nicholls – who was seven at the time of his death due to cardiac arrest in 2021, during the height of the pandemic – had autism accompanied with sensory difficulties, which led to him following a highly restricted diet. 

GPs failed to diagnose Alfie with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), often seen in children with autism, resulting in his malnourishment being overlooked by medical personnel. 

A coroner has criticised Alfie’s doctors, while officials at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Cheshire, have also apologised to his mother, Lucy Morrison, and his family. 

Ms Morrison, 31, had made repeat trips to the hospital and Alfie’s GP in the weeks before his death. 

Three days after his last appointment, he collapsed at home. Paramedics arrived but were unable to resuscitate him, and he died at Stepping Hill. 

A post-mortem examination on Alfie’s remains found he was in a state of chronic malnutrition due to his restrictive diet, which had caused his heart not to function properly. 

Following the inquest, Ms Morrison reflected on the difficulties she had faced in caring for her son.

She said: ‘It’s a lot. You’re always feeling alone and I want other parents and mums who are going back and forth explaining “my child isn’t eating” and being told it’s part of their child’s autism to know the truth is it’s not.

‘Their children are severely struggling and in Alfie’s case he couldn’t voice it because he was non-verbal. 

‘They’re struggling with food and intake and the fear it’s not going to go down and mums are thinking they’re not doing enough.’

She added she wants to raise awareness of ARFID so that other children can receive the full extent of the help and care they need.

She said: ‘I want mums now to know that their voices are going to be heard and I want them to know they’re not going crazy. 

‘For years I thought I was going crazy. I’m really hoping parents will now feel heard and know it’s not just because their child is autistic.

A spokesperson for Stepping Hill Hospital said in a statement: ‘Firstly, we’d like to offer our condolences again to Alfie’s family. Alfie’s was a very tragic and complex case. 

‘We are deeply sorry for the missed opportunities identified in our internal review and through the inquest process, and we express our sincere apologies to Alfie’s family.’

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