Arabic version: عائلة في بيرث تسعى للحصول على رعاية أفضل لابنها المصاب بالصرع
A Perth mother is expressing frustration over the challenges in securing specialist epilepsy care for her three-year-old son, Teddy Tangney. Diagnosed six months ago with drug resistant generalised myoclonic epilepsy syndrome, Teddy experiences frequent seizures that have significantly impacted his family’s daily life. According to ABC News, his mother, Sarah Tangney, reports that Teddy has had a seizure every night since September, with episodes lasting as long as 20 minutes.
Teddy suffers from various types of seizures, including tonic clonic seizures that occur nightly. Sarah described the frightening experience, stating that she goes to bed each night unsure if her son will wake up. After being treated at Rockingham Hospital, Teddy was referred to Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH), but his mother claims he is being pushed back and forth between the two hospitals.
Sarah Tangney insists that Teddy needs ongoing specialist care at PCH rather than only emergency treatment. She stated, “We have been fighting for Perth Children’s Hospital to pick him up and have regular outpatient care. Their solution to Teddy is to say ‘come to ED.'” She emphasized that the emergency department is not suited for children requiring ongoing care like Teddy.
In response to the family’s concerns, a spokesperson for WA’s Child and Adolescent Health Service acknowledged their frustration and confirmed that Teddy’s clinical treatment is ongoing. WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat stated that PCH will continue to treat Teddy but did not clarify if he would be under a specialist’s care. Shadow Health spokesperson Libby Mettam criticized the situation, asserting that there should be a comprehensive care plan for Teddy, highlighting the inadequacy of having to repeatedly explain his condition in the emergency department.
Currently, a Senate committee is conducting an inquiry into epilepsy, focusing on the barriers to appropriate treatment options and the availability of medical practitioners, including neurologists.
