In this episode, Greg Hughes speaks with Maeve and Ian Gallagher following the inquest into the tragic death of their three-year-old son, Darragh.
Darragh passed away in March 2023 after a rapid onset of Invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) which led to bacterial sepsis. This episode provides a detailed look at the timeline leading up to Darragh’s passing, beginning with his initial symptoms on St. Patrick’s Day and a subsequent visit to an out-of-hours GP service where his condition was identified as a mild viral infection.
Key Discussion Points:
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The Clinical Journey: The symptoms Darragh displayed, including abdominal pain and vomiting, and the challenges of diagnosing iGAS in its early stages.
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The Inquest Findings: A breakdown of the narrative finding returned by Coroner Dr. McCauley and why the request for a finding of medical misadventure was not met.
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A National Spike: Insight from the inquest regarding the 2022/2023 iGAS outbreak in Ireland, which resulted in 12 deaths and 200 pediatric intensive care admissions.
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Coroner’s Recommendations: The vital importance of childhood vaccinations (including flu and chickenpox) and the need for non-alarmist public health campaigns to help parents recognize early signs of sepsis.
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Moving Forward: How Maeve and Ian are coping with their loss while advocating for better support for GPs and clearer communication for parents through tools like the Aladdin App.
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