One day, the 17-year-old Jack Dunn was suffering from severe stomach pains and couldn’t even walk properly anymore. His parents immediately took him to the hospital and doctors performed a number of tests.
The doctors simply diagnosed the boy from Porth, Wales with bad constipation. He was given some laxative medicine to help with constipation, but Jack’s medical issue was far more severe. His father Kieron found him dead in his bed just 24 hours after being released from the hospital.
According to his parents, the doctors weren’t particularly concerned about his intense stomach pain. They scanned his stomach to rule out appendicitis.
“We took him to A&E and completely trusted the doctors in telling us what was wrong with him. He could barely walk he was in so much pain. He was given a bladder scan but it didn’t really show anything up. The doctor said he was baffled and believed Jack was suffering from nothing more than a bad bout of constipation,” Jack’s father said to The Sun.
Unfortunately, the doctors in the hospital were unable to find Jack’s underlying medical condition in time.
It turns out that Jack had diabetic ketoacidosis.
It’s a condition that is quite dangerous and occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin. The body also produces an excessive amount of ketones or blood acids.
“When Jack was finding it difficult to breathe the doctor thought it was probably anxiety because Jack was anxious about being in the hospital,” dad Kieron told. “But him struggling to breathe was because his organs were closing down because of the ketoacidosis.”
“Finding my son dead in his bed was the worst moment of my life. I believe Jack would be alive today if a few more simple tests had been carried out.”
Jack’s family says that his death could most likely have been prevented if doctors gave him a simple glucose test.
“Jack’s white blood cell count was up so that was an indicator something was going on in his body that wasn’t right. If they had tested him for ketones he would probably be alive today.”
If ketoacidosis is detected on time, the condition can most certainly be treated with proper medication and insulin. Other symptoms of the condition are fatigue, states of confusion, unusual thirst, faster breathing and the need to pee more than usual.
Jack’s parents hope that sharing Jack’s story can help spread awareness about ketoacidosis and prevent the same thing happening to others.
“My son was a healthy fit 17-year-old who was full of energy and life. I have to speak out both for Jack and our family which has been utterly devastated by his loss,” Kieron said. “People need to know what a deadly condition ketoacidosis is.”
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