B.C. family speaks out after child’s death in Kelowna hospital

Another B.C. family is in mourning after the death of their nine-year-old daughter, who’d been taken to the hospital in Kelowna with serious flu symptoms.

Her parents are speaking out, saying they believe their little girl might have had a better chance of surviving if she had been treated more urgently.

Ayla Loseth passed away last Tuesday, reportedly succumbing to influenza and a bacterial infection after a case of strep turned septic.

The West Kelowna family tells Castanet News their daughter had become quite ill before they took her to Kelowna General Hospital the previous Saturday. Her symptoms included a severe rash, fever, dehydration, and nausea, the Loseths say.

The outlet reports the family was told she likely had the flu, and she was treated as such.

Her mother Chrissy tells Castanet she suspected her daughter had more than just influenza and pushed doctors to test her and do more to treat the symptoms, though Ayla was not prescribed antibiotics.

They were then sent home and that is how things stood until Sunday evening, when Ayla’s condition worsened.

The Loseths say they returned to the hospital Monday. Doctors confirmed the flu and strep, put the child on antibiotics, and ordered an evening airlift to BC Children’s Hospital, telling the family there wasn’t enough staff or resources at KGH to properly treat Ayla.

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But they say that decision was overruled by another doctor, who suspected sepsis and immediately ordered Ayla into the intensive care unit in Kelowna. She died a few hours later.

The Loseths tell Castanet they believe there might have been a different outcome if their daughter had been put on antibiotics two days earlier, when they first went to the hospital.

In a statement to CityNews, vice president of clinical operations for Interior Health’s south division, Dr. Shallen Letwin, says her thoughts are with the family and everyone impacted by Ayla’s death.

“Generally, if an unexpected event or death occurs with a patient in hospital, this event is treated with the utmost seriousness. Interior Health will fully review the case to identify any possible opportunities for learning or system level improvements as part of our ongoing commitment to quality and patient safety in our hospitals,” she said.

The Loseths say they will be a part of any internal investigations at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page created for the Loseth family has raised more than double its initial goal, with nearly $80,000 donated in five days.

Last weekend, another child died in B.C. after they were admitted to hospital originally for flu-like symptoms.

Danielle Cabana passed away weeks after becoming sick, according an Instagram post from her father, which has since been made private.

Read more: Community in mourning after sudden death of Richmond girl

Other children have also died in recent weeks, with similar heartbreaking stories being recounted by families in the province.

The cases come as children’s hospitals across the country have been struggling with the number of patients they’ve had to take in during the current respiratory illness season.