Boy gets £180,000 after button battery not found in body | World News

A young boy has been awarded £188,000 after doctors failed to carry out an x-ray for more than a week after he swallowed a button battery.

Aaron Sikorski, who was 13 months old at the time, was playing at his home in Tuam, Ireland, on July 25, 2018, when he swallowed the battery, the High Court heard.

He started coughing and became distressed before vomiting and his mum Marlena Sikorski thought he had swallowed something.

She took him to the doctor the next day because he was sick but they told her he had not swallowed anything.

He was taken to a doctor again on July 27 and referred to the A&E department at Galway University Hospital because of a high temperature, vomiting and difficulty eating.

It was not until a week later on August 3 that Aaron had a chest x-ray and operation to extract the battery.

He spent three weeks in intensive care after reconstructive surgery on his oesophagus, according to the Irish Mirror.

It was claimed the possibility of a foreign object in Aaron’s body was overlooked.

It was heard that if an adequate history and chest x-ray had taken place the button battery would have been found and removed before the battery leaked.

Marlena took legal action against the health service executive (HSE) and the GP over problems with Aaron’s care.

Damien Higgins SC, said the battery reacts with saliva which burns through the oesophagus and that medical help should be sought within 48 hours.

The HSE admitted breach of duty but causation remained at issue in the case.

GP Maire McGarry said she looked after the patient like any good doctor would, denied all claims and the settlement agreed was without an admission of liability by her.

In a statement from the HSE and Dr McGarry read to Marlena in court, it said: ‘We would like to offer you our sincere apologies for the treatment Aaron received from us in 2018. We regret the distress and anxiety you and your family have experienced. We sincerely wish you and your family all the best for the future.’

Judge Mr Justice Coffey agreed the money offered to settle the case was fair.

Outside the court, the family said what happened was ‘every parent’s worse nightmare’.

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