The parents of a 12-year-old boy who died after contracting swineflu say they are keen to raise awareness of the virus which killedtheir "fit and healthy" son.
Popular Ryan Hoe had been taken to the Royal United Hospital inthe early hours of the morning in December last year with flu-likesymptoms.
But the year eight pupil at Ralph Allen School, who was latertransferred to Bristol Royal Children's Hospital, died aftersuffering a cardiac arrest.
His parents Jane and Brent Hoe said they did not think they wouldever accept his death.
A statement read at the inquest into his death last week heardthat pathologist Dr Craig Platt had described Ryan as previously"fit and well", apart from suffering from mild asthma.
He said deaths from flu in children often occurred when therewere other underlying health problems, such as asthma.
However, Mrs Hoe, who is a teaching assistant as St Stephen'sPrimary School, said Ryan had not been eligible for the H1N1 (swineflu) vaccination last year, as it was only offered to the elderlyand those with severe medical conditions.
She said: "His asthma wasn't bad enough for him to qualify forthe swine flu jab last winter. "They should give it to all childrenwith asthma."
Mrs Hoe said Ryan's symptoms were no different to those ofordinary flu and that he had never developed a temperature or shownany obvious sign of a chest infection.
Doctors said at the time that they thought it was highly unlikelyRyan's death had been caused by swine flu, but later tests revealedthe H1N1 virus in his system.
Continued on page 4 From page 1 Mrs Hoe said: "All I can do ismake people aware. It is not just old people who die of this thing -he was a healthy 12-year-old boy.
"It is a really unpredictable virus. They are still learningabout it. It can affect people very differently."
She added: "The odds against this virus being fatal are huge butthat is no consolation when it's your child who's died." Shedescribed her son as a "cheerful" and "thoughtful" boy who wasalways smiling.
Ryan lived with his parents and 16-year-old sister in Bathampton.
Since his death, friends at Ralph Allen have celebrated his lifeby holding a memorial football match as well as creating a book forRyan's family paying tribute to the 12-year-old.
Mrs Hoe said: "We can't put into words what it is like to losehim. It is still unthinkable he could have left us. I don't think wewill ever really accept it.
"Everyone loved him. He was always smiling.
"We were kindly given this book his friends put together for usand it said how he was always cheerful and such a loyal friend. Healways had positive things to say about everyone. He was athoughtful, gentle chap."
She added: "Ryan had everything going for him. He had a wonderfullife because he loved everyone around him and they loved him back.We just have to be so grateful that we had him for the time we did.
"I hope his friends will think of Ryan when they are offeredopportunities in life and seize them with both hands. He will belooking down on them cheering them on."
A memorial fund has been set up for the popular youngster andfriends have also donated money to the Shark Trust in his memory, ashe was concerned about the plight of sharks and keen to be a marinebiologist when he grew up.
At the inquest last week, coroner Terry Moore offered hiscondolences to Ryan's parents and recorded a verdict of death bynatural causes.
He said: "The post-mortem is extremely detailed and concludesthat the cause of death is H1N1 with asthma.
"I am satisfied that is an entirely natural cause."
Ryan did not qualify for the H1N1 vaccination in the winter thathe died and a spokesman for the Department for Health said it tookadvice on who should be eligible for the jab from the JointCommittee for Immunisation and Vaccination (JCIV).
The list includes those with chronic lung disease and chronicliver disease. People with asthma are also included, however, butonly patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the pastthree years. As Ryan's asthma was only classed as mild, he was noteligible for the jab.
Ryan did not qualify for flu jab
No comments:
Post a Comment