Dennis Quaid Recounts Twins' Drug Ordeal

Actor Tells 60 Minutes' Steve Kroft Medical Errors Kill Thousands

(CBS)  Because the deaths occur one at a time, all over the country over an extended time period, Quaid says the issue has slipped under the public's radar. "It's bigger than AIDS. It's bigger than breast cancer. It's bigger than automobile accidents. And, yet, no one seems to be really be aware of the problem," he says.

The causes range from misdiagnosis to surgical errors to medication mistakes like the accidental Heparin overdose that that nearly killed the Quaid twins, an occurrence that’s not all that unusual, according to Diane Cousins. She's the vice president of U.S. Pharmacopeia, a non-profit public health group that maintains one of the largest databases on medication errors.

"What we see with Heparin is that it is almost always in the list of top ten drugs that are reported for medication errors, and almost always in the top ten that are harmful," Cousins tells Kroft.

"What is it about Heparin that there's so many mistakes?" Kroft asks.

"Well, Heparin is very commonly used in the hospital. And the number of opportunities for error are very high," she explains.

But Cousins says another contributing factor with Heparin is labeling that can easily lead to mistakes. The 10-unit pediatric dose and the 10,000-unit adult dose come in vials of identical size and shape and in different shades of blue that can easily be confused, if not seen in reference to each other. And they are not the only drugs with that problem.

Asked to give some examples, Cousins, showing two medications, tells Kroft, "In this case, we have a solution of Lidocaine, which is an anesthetic often used to swab a child's throat or mouth for mouth pain. Here, you have lithium oral solution used for manic depression."

"Lithium is not something you'd wanna give a child. Absolutely not," she says.

The two small vials Cousins used as an example both have blue caps and cluttered labels, but one contains a hormone and the other a children's antibiotic.

"If you're at arms' length, it's hard enough to read these labels because of their type size," Cousins says.

"And I'd need my reading glasses," Kroft remarks.

Baxter International, which manufactures the Heparin given to the Quaid twins, was fully aware that there had been fatal mistakes that may have been caused by confusion over its labeling.

When the three infants in Indianapolis died after receiving an adult dose, Baxter issued a nationwide safety alert, and last October began shipping Heparin with a redesigned, peel-off label to end the confusion. What it didn't do was recall the old stock that was sitting in hospitals all over the country, including Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

"And as a result, our kids were given an old stock which was basically the same packaging and form that the kids in Indiana had gotten. Now, they recall toasters. They recall trucks. They recall dog food that came from China last year. But they don't recall medicine that kills people if you give it in the wrong dosage," Dennis Quaid tells Kroft.

The Quaids believe that Baxter was the first link in a series of events that led to the overdosing of their infants and they're suing the company for negligence on behalf of their children.

[caliengineer]

God bless you, Mr. Quaid. I hope you will have a great success against the industry which drains 60% of the GNP each year in America.

[koffeebeaned]

But the same hospital hysterically carries on about bicycle helmets, car seat training for new parents, the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and republicans to the newborn, and a host of other matters that takes time that should be spent saving lives.

Yes, helmets are important and kids shouldn"t be breathing second-hand smoke but clearly there are more deaths caused at hospitals than kids dying because they weren''t in a car seat. Too many people accept any activism without asking crucial questions as long as it''s for the children, clean air, water, etc.

Wake up Amurrica! Quit letting the Agenda Do-Gooders take your attention away from the things that matter most.

[cyberus-2009]

Silly question.

Why isn''t anyone jumping on the FDA?

You know .. the people that are supposed to be responsible for drug safety, labeling etc?

[pwrhouse22]

Many hospitals are using Bedside Medication Verification. Nurse scans patient armband and then scans the barcode on the med to make sure it is a match before administering. Would have eliminated this situation altogether. It saves lives and needs to be in every hospital.

[rrivas123]

Dear Koffeebeaned:

540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries. Seems to me to be prudent to discuss head injury and wearing helmets. As well as 2nd hand smoke, and medical errors.

Caliengineer,
What is needed in not success against the industry, but cooperative work between the public, industry, hospitals and healthcare workers to make medical care as safe as possible. Remember all are human, make mistakes, and hopefully people will work together to solve the problems.

[dmeans82]

"They recall toasters%u2026trucks. They recall dog food that came from China last year. But they don''t recall medicine that kills people if you give it in the wrong dosage%u2026we think it''s wrong."


Tylenol or aspirin will kill you if you give it in the wrong dosage, as will almost any other medicine manufactured in the world today. He clearly doesn''t know what he''s talking about.

Secondly, the mistake did not occur because the vials look the same. The mistake occurred because a nurse didn''t properly verify the contents of the vial before administering the medicine. Place the blame where it belongs.

This man clearly doesn''t know what he''s talking about. If he has accepted the argument, "the vials looked the same, that''s why this happened", (and it appears that he actually has) then he''s been duped and suckered.

[gaston98]

Yes, mistakes and omissions happen all the time. I had a missed disagnosis in November of 2005 which led to partial paralysis for the rest of my life. I had an epidural abscess in my spine that went undiagnosed for almost three weeks, and I became paralyzed from the waist down before a knowlegeable surgeon did emergency surgery to stop the permanency of the paralysis. I am on penicillin for life and the attitude with most professionals is "well, you''re in your 70''s". Although I now walk with a walker, I am an active senior still doing research and am very much aware that moving about is an unnecessary burden every day. I am told that the "standard of care" was followed. If that is the case the "standard of care" needs to be put on trial!

[simon1113]

I believe that all areas of care should be examined more closely. One week after giving birth to my son, I started to bleed from every where. I was passing blot clots as big as dinner plates (no offense, but I was extremely worried). I was rushed to hospital where I was neglected for three days running. After being sent home twice, I finally needed a transfusion, when all I really needed was a quick D&C. They were completely negligent. As a result I had to remain in the hospital for seven more days because I was so anemic. Enough about me. I could have died leaving my husband and one week old son behind. I feel as though there is a carelessness that could be avoided. I cant imagine the horror of what this family went through. At least when I was sick it was me and not my son. I was strong enough. These babies were so innocent and new. I didnt sleeop for a few nights thinking about it. God bless their little hearts for having the strength to get through it.

[rayejaq]

I hope the babies are doing well now. Being in health care for 22 years as a nurse, I have seen many things happen--- either by neglect (laziness) or doing everything humanly possible couldn''t have changed the outcome. I have been on both the giving of care and the receiving of care in the last few years....maybe that is why I chose to leave nursing. A little too scary. God Bless.

[paigeii]

"The mistake occurred because the vials of Hep-lock and Heparin look alike say the Quaids, who are suing the drug%u2019s manufacturer, Baxter International".

NO, they don''t "look alike". Similar perhaps, but the labels are very different. One is spelled H-E-P L-O-C-K and the other H-E-P-A-R-I-N.
Nurses should follow the five "rights" of medication administration to avoid medication errors: the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right time, and the right route before giving any medication.
You think that was done in this case? No way. This is something that is drilled into every nursing student constantly. Practically from day one of nursing school until they graduate.
No way is Baxter to blame in this case. How is suing them going to accomplish anything? It doesn''t matter what color the vial is/was. The nurse still has to READ the label to make sure it is the correct drug.
The blame clearly falls on the nurse who failed to read the label before administering the drug.
Quaid get a new lawyer.

[stn_sage]

My compliments to Dennis & Kim Quaid for using their celebrity status and speaking out on the subject of medical mistakes. By the way---I loved The Day After Tomorrow! First rate!

The medical industry is like any other---some members of it perform exemplary and others dismally. The major problem though, is in this business, if you screw up, someone could die! Therefore, it''s absolutely incumbent on all personnel to check and re-check what they do so that 100,000 death figure can be decreased this year and thereafter!

[cyberus-2009]

----
But the same hospital hysterically carries on about bicycle helmets, car seat training for new parents, the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and republicans to the newborn, and a host of other matters that takes time that should be spent saving lives.

Yes, helmets are important and kids shouldn"t be breathing second-hand smoke but clearly there are more deaths caused at hospitals than kids dying because they weren''''t in a car seat. Too many people accept any activism without asking crucial questions as long as it''''s for the children, clean air, water, etc.

Wake up Amurrica! Quit letting the Agenda Do-Gooders take your attention away from the things that matter most.

Posted by koffeebeaned at 07:02 PM : Mar 13, 2008
-----
If they didn''t do those politically correct things they would be accused of being an *unfeeling corporate entity* .. they still are but all those feel good things keep the teddy bear huggers at a distance.

[mortok99]

When you drive a bus, or fly an airplane, you''re responsible for a big mobile room full of passengers. And accidents happen. Thats just a way of life. Suing people over it isn''t going to fix it, because nothings broke. Its just people, and people make mistakes. And thats never gonna change.

[mortok99]

Most of you are gonna be driving to work during morning rush hour, and during evening rush hour. And you''re going to get in an accident. Maybe 2. Its just a fact of life. Is it your fault?

[emeinfo]

What?!? I feel for his ordeal. However, if he''s quoted accurately, he''s an idiot. It happened because the medical folks screwed up. He''s just another Hollywood dip-*** who wants to blame anyone but the people responsible. Despicable & embarrassing.

That being said, it''s disgusting how the AMA & medical profession dont tell the public or their patients how many times they screw up & the truth to "practicing" medicine....oh that''s right if they were paid for performance or we knew how much was "practice/best effort" as opposed to knowing.....they wouldnt be paid the big bucks...it''s only fair to command such high salaries right?...they had to go school for so long...

[wamuservices]

In an emergency basis I could see how the similar names could potentially cause a mistake such as this. However, on a routine, non-pressured basis such as med-surg or in this case twins in a NICU, etc. there was no reason why the 5-rights should not have been applied.

Simon1113...wish I could get your email address to compare stories...similar thing happened to me.

[lowell_jay]

Yes mistakes will always happen. However, they happen more frequently when demoralized people have to follow idiotic bureaucratic rules.

If you believe in the separation of church and state you should also believe in separation of medical care and state. Eliminate Medicare and Medicaid. Eliminate doctor licensing (allow competition). Eliminate drug patents (government granted monopolies). Eliminate malpractice lawsuits in government courts (so doctors and nurses will not have to practice defensive medicine). Magically the cost of medical care will plummet and the quality and patient satisfaction will increase dramatically.

[emeinfo]

What?!? I feel for his ordeal. However, if he''s quoted accurately, he''s an idiot. It happened because the medical folks screwed up. He''s just another Hollywood dip-*** who wants to blame anyone but the people responsible. Despicable & embarrassing.

That being said, it''s disgusting how the AMA & medical profession dont tell the public or their patients how many times they screw up & the truth to "practicing" medicine....oh that''s right if they were paid for performance or we knew how much was "practice/best effort" as opposed to knowing.....they wouldnt be paid the big bucks...it''s only fair to command such high salaries right?...they had to go school for so long...

[jondingo1]

Why not color-code the bottles? Package all childrens'' medication in one color, adult medication in another? It would be much more foolproof than labels.

[dreamer91344]

This same situation happened to our family 30 years age. In our case, it was 50% saline solution vs 05%. Our four year old angel died as a result of the mistake. We were sure the mfg would follow through and fix their labeling problem. They said they were just as concerned as we were. Rather the Mfg and Hospital just argued over who was at fault.

Please Mr Quaid you have the visability we didn''t have. Our hospital was UCLA and no one wanted to tarnish their name. We need to realize even good hospitals can use some fine tuning. And manufacturers need to think more of human life and less about the expense.

[limobarbie]

Nurses are criminally overworked and exhausted. I used to be one and after 2.6 years without a day off working 12-16 hour shifts, I quit. I''m amazed I didn''t accidentally kill someone--every day there was more work to do and less of us to do it.

[alphaa10-2009]

Hospitals across the US are in-process of adopting a barcode system to verify both patient medications and update the patient''s charts.

That may help stem the Quaid-type mistakes. But there is another cause of treatment accidents, traceable to hospital management and its poor attitude to the problem of safety and quality vs. work output.

Nurses like "limobarbie" (post below) are telling the unvarnished truth-- hospitals have become as greedy and careless as any WalMart to their employees, where overwork is everyone''s lot. Nurses are literally run through their workweek until they drop in-harness-- become ill, or leave in disgust or fear they will hurt a patient.

[alphaa10-2009]

PS to below post-- Unfortunately enough, the force still driving hospital practices is the HMO, created in the late 1980''s solely to protect the profits of hospitals and insurance companies.

We might think HMOs realize a safer hospital means more profit, and fewer problems for which litigation is the frequent result. But the values by which HMOs continue to operate champion bottom-line profit, not patient safety-- no matter how nice the parient information brochures look.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Dennis Quaid is a piece of human fecal matter that suffered this tragedy because he has horrible karma." Posted by galaxiana

Your statement is ridiculous, the children suffered, not Mr. Quaid.

That you don''t like the man because of his somewhat standoffish personality does not mean that his sadness is a result of karma.

I have eaten at the same Denny''s several times, and I must say that the quality of service, or lack thereof, is also legendary. I have been brought cold food, after waiting for half an hour when the place was not crowded, and was told that if I didn''t like it, I should take my business elsewhere.

I have watched people who came in after me have their orders taken and delivered before I was allowed to order. On one visit,I was with my boss, a well known music artist, and we couldn''t eat for the people asking for autographs, staff included. One even asked for several, for his friends. None of the stall would even try to help us enjoy our meal in peace.

Tips are also earned, you should consider that when someone doesn''t leave a tip, it is usually for good reason.

[alphaa10-2009]

Part 2-- Patients, Patient Families, Beware!
The attending physician or other managing professional is instructed to inform the patient''s family with a poor prognosis-- "I am sorry, but the outlook is not the best. We''''ll do what we can, of course, but it appears all four wheels have fallen off. It will be difficult."

What a blow to an anxious family! What a failure of the oath to do no harm! At hearing such a report, family members have been known to become ill, as a result. But as the seminar tells medical professionals, it is all to the good. They are given the following explanation--

"If you promise the moon, but deliver coal and ashes, you probably will be sued by angry relatives, regardless of the effort you made and difficulty of the case. If you promise little or nothing-- yes, even advise of the worst-- but deliver something, anyway, and maybe even the sun and moon, combined, you will be hailed as a miracle worker. Your fees will be received with gratitude, not scrutiny."

[alphaa10-2009]

Patients and Patient Families, Beware!

The medical community for the last decade has been blitzed by little-publicized, traveling "legal seminars"-- these professing to help medical professionals avoid litigation.

As innocent as that sounds, some the methods taught by the seminars are anything but defensive. They cause needless pain and suffering, and are based upon manipulation of patient expectations.

Here is how the methods work. Suppose a patient and his family rush to the hospital for a critical procedure. They are beside themselves with anxiety, and need all the hope and reassurance possible. While providing emotional comfort seems an easy mission for staff, medical professionals are now told, "Not so fast!-- this is "bad medicine".
(See Part 2, below)

[pulsecolo]

We would like to thank the Quaids for speaking out about this issue. The modest estimate of 100,000 deaths per year, according to the IOM report, means that 275 Americans die every day due to medical errors. The HealthGrades Report doubles that figure to 200,000. It is our hope that Dennis Quaid might consider becoming a national spokesperson for patient safety. Many great organizations exist that are devoted to patient safety and saving lives, but sadly, these organizations are not household names because we lack a famous spokesperson. Patient empowerment, partnership with providers, and consumer driven healthcare will make us all safer in the complex system that provides American Healthcare. Consumers must have access to this information before they enter the healthcare system in order to help medical professionals provide the safest care possible. Dennis, If you are watching these posts, please respond and help us work within the healthcare system to change it by prevention of medical errors and patient education. Many tireless advocates are working hard from within both the medical profession and the consumer arena, but the public is still in the dark until after a tragedy occurs. We need a well known and respected national spokesperson for our cause and would be honored if Dennis Quaid would work with us.

[wamuservices]

I posted an earlier comment but I wanted you all to know that I received an email earlier at work which informed us that various heparin agents were being recalled immediately. So, I assume they are taking this lawsuit seriously and at the same I concur that there are nursing errors.

BUT, the one who dared to compare 2-babies almost dying to an actor''s bad attiude at a one star diner, should be ashamed!

[pulsecolo]

Greetings,

Not sure if you can post websites in here or not, but wanted to share ours and our sister site for patient education. We are PULSE of America, a support group for folks who have experienced medical errors and other adverse outcomes. Our sister group is Voice for Patients,an educational website for patients and families. If we are not permitted to put links in, please delete the links, but leave the names of our orgnaizations if anyone needs us.

www.pulseamerica.org
www.voice4patients.com

[bijoubean]

Since the age of 10, I have been in-and-out of hospitals. I have had the unfortunate experience of being one of the people that survived a "mistake." I suffer everyday, and I am permanently scarred. Nobody in the medical field even said a God *** Sorry. I cannot sleep from the disfiguring painful scars a simple double check would have avoided. If I do sleep, when I wake, it is the first thing is pain.

My face is scarred too.

When you are under medical care remember, they call it practicing medicine so they can cover their gluteus maximums.

This will change nothing.

[angelline-2009]

PS to below post-- Unfortunately enough, the force still driving hospital practices is the HMO, created in the late 1980''''s solely to protect the profits of hospitals and insurance companies.
There are more topics on the site WEALTHYBEAUTY.c om

[smokeanddie2]

Medical errors is a huge problem. Luckily there are new technologies that can help prevent them. Some hospitals in the US are now using a medication checking device called valimed (http://www.valimed.com/) which as been showned to prevent errors in a recent study. All hospitals should be using something like that!

[Roger Knights]

The medical profession''s high-handed blundering was chronicled in the late 30s in the book "Among the Doctors," which was serialized in Coronet magazine. Persons interested in this topic on a scholarly level should check it out.

[amyprn]

What recourse does the public have? Appeal to your elected officials to change the laws related to staffing ratios. Healthcare is a business and doctors and nurses are dictated by accountants and CFO''s. Patients want drive through service. As a registered nurse believe me when I say we work at minimum and below minimum staffing ratios every day, every shift. Change the ratios and monitor that they are being met and care will improve.

[smokey197771]

The author is Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.
ALL THESE ARE DEATHS PER YEAR:
%u2022 12,000 -- unnecessary surgery
%u2022 7,000 -- medication errors in hospitals
%u2022 20,000 -- other errors in hospitals
%u2022 80,000 -- infections in hospitals
%u2022 106,000 -- non-error, negative effects of drugs
These total to 225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes!!

We have below 4,000 deaths in a war that is protecting this country from the %u201Cpeaceful%u201D religion of Islam and we hear about it constantly. We have women dressed in pink protesting against our military.
Where is the outrage over deaths at the hands of our doctors

[baker19691]

As a nurse of 13 years I can certainly say the health care system is broken. Hospitals and nursing homes are understaffed and overworked. Many times nurses are forced to work mandatory overtime and if they refuse they can loose their job and even their nursing license. There is a national nursing shortage mainly due to poor working conditions, inadequate pay and poor benefits. What would your chances of making and error at work if you have been forced to work a 16 hrs straight? Your state sets the patient to nurse ratio which is ridiculous. In PA 1 nurse is responsibe for careing for up to 30 patients in a nuring home, and this is within the legal limit. yes there are nursing assitants , but they dont pass medications ,nor can they assess a patient and determine when a doctor needs alerted to a change in their conditon. That is why our legislative system has failed us. The big healthcare organizations are in their back pocked, and they care more about the almighty dollar than the quality and safety of our patients.

[antdo1]

AS an RN for 28 yrs, errors occur and will continue to occur until the government stops cutting the healthcare budget which inturns effects nurse pt ratios,over-time and keeps hospital from buying new techologies. Nurses do not want to hurt pts. If a nurse makes a error she carries that error with her for the rest of her life.
I also do not like Dennis is blaming the nurses. No one person is to be blame. The process is to blame.

[barbaraf4]

"Scary? I received a bill from the hospital for the following, operating room, lab, dressings, pharmacy, and circumcision. This was for my new born DAUGHTER?
Since when do they CIRCUMCISE GIRLS?????????"Posted by az97202
~~~~~~~~~~~
It is just a billing error - happens all the time, which is why you should read your bills.

As for when did they start circumcising, somewhere around the dark ages in the Middle East. To this day, women''s bodies are mutilated by "female circumcision" in most of the Arab countries.

[viper21970]

Your right, it is not just one persons fault, the system is truly broken. It is however incumbent upon people in the profession of saving lives to PAY ATTENTION, BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND THEN THE BLAME CAN GO ELSEWHERE. So...WAKE THE HELL UP AND PAY ATTENTION.

[bijoubean]

If you have a chronic illness you have not recourse. If you sue one medical provider, good luck finding one to take your case. You will be blackballed in the medical community.

I am afraid, and they medical community does not care. The only care they have is deny. The John Ridder case will be lost.

This situation will always be, and there will not be one doctor to say otherwise.

[mmosher2]

Dennis Quaid is right--we don''t hear about these errors. This is due to the phony "peer review" process in hospitals which makes everything they do secret, even in a lawsuit. If the National Transportation Safety Commission investigated plane crashes the way the medical community investigates medical errors, no one would ever get on a commercial plane and crashes would be a daily event. The joke of "peer reveiw" must end.

[docilelamb]

I do not mean to sound insensitive to the Quaid family, because what they went through is terrible. Yet, ask yourself: when was the last time you messed up at work? Filed something wrong, forgot a task you were supposed to do, whatever. I can honestly say in the last year there have been times where I haven''t done something right. Yet, since I don''t work in the medical field, the errors are easily corrected and dismissed. While we should strive for the highest level of care, we need to acknowledge that the people in the medical community are just as human as we are, and they do make mistakes. I feel for all the doctors and nurses that are held to the standard of perfection by those of us that are so far below that same standard.

[asemerdjian1]

barbaraf4, You should get your facts correct ("To this day, women''''s bodies are mutilated by "female circumcision" in most of the Arab countries.") I believe they do this in rural parts of Africa, and I believe it is some tribes that perform this ritual. I have never heard of a middle eastern country performing this type of ritual.

As far as for the Quaid family, tragic mistake. My son was born at Cedars just a few months before. I respect there privacy throughout this ordeal, and congratulate them for pushing for reform.

I hope your twins have no repercussions, and live a long healthy life.

[carlad1958]

If you''ve been following the story, the Quaid''s aren''t blaming nurses, they are blaming the company. Although this would not have happened had the label been checked more carefully, the Quaid''s realize that understaffed, overworked nurses should not be the "whipping boy" in this case. They aren''t suing the nurses or the hospital, or to make money, they are suing to bring attention to the packaging issue. That''s why they''re only suing the pharmaceutical company.

[ecynthiana]

Cedars Sinai almost killed a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago. Didn''t read his chart before swabbing his arm with iodine, to which he is allergic. Went into anaphylactic shock. Then denied that they even had iodine on the premises. The nurse who did the actual swabbing acknowledged it was iodine to my friend. He was in there for chemotherapy. Wouldn''t listen to him when he told them what was happening, and why. Kept him in ER all night, running tests. The whole nursing staff is immigrants.

[sheila1346]

As a retired nurse I absolutely agree with Dennis Quaid''s comments about medical mistakes. As a Director of Staff Development I was responsible for meeting and doing remedial work with any staff member who had "made a mistake" and keeping a record of it for the facilities "Plan of correction" for the State and Feds. Most of the mistakes are minor ones that happen such as wrong patient, wrong medication due to not paying attention but sadly some lead to serious complication even death. To often hospitals try to hide these mistakes so they will not look bad. There are way way to many mistakes that can and must be prevented. Medical licensing boards tend to let Doctors and Nurses slide on minor errors so they go from hospital to hospital making little mistakes until there is a terrible tragedy. If someones medical license was put on probationary status for a few years for minor infractions, that had the potential for grave bodily harm,(such as medication errors) I believe this would be a wake up call and help the offenders remember they hold people lives in their hands.

[rowdytexan2]

Thank God these babies survived!

I agree that the pharmaceutical company was negligent. To put the same kind of medicine in adult dose and baby dose in the exact shape and size bottle wasn''t just real smart in the first place, but not to recall it when they knew is a horror story waiting to happen and they deserve to be held responsible for it.

[rowdytexan2]

Thank God these babies survived!

I agree that the pharmaceutical company was negligent. To put the same kind of medicine in adult dose and baby dose in the exact shape and size bottle wasn''t just real smart in the first place, but not to recall it when they knew is a horror story waiting to happen and they deserve to be held responsible for it.

[rowdytexan2]

Sorry for the double post...

[baagower]

i am so sorry about what has happend.i know what the parents are going through.expect my son didnt live.the hospital punctured his intestant with his feeding tube.then they lied about the whole thing.from there on everything went down hill.he got verry sick.they put him on pain medicen.they had him on the amount an adult would be given.he had seasures.then the doctors told my husband and i that he now has brain damige.his brain was full of water.so as no parent should ..make the most worst decision of the own lives.the doctors told us that we haad to take him off of life support.it was the worst days of are lives.