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ANOTHER GI HOLIDAY DEATH A 28 yr old young woman died suddenly on Saturday 11-26-05. She was at a good weight, and had been in placement for several years. She was home for Thanksgiving and "ate a lot" according to mom. Friday she was vomiting profusely. On Saturday, she had diarrhea, but said she was hungry. She passed out, and mom called an ambulance. They were unable to revive her. No autopsy. They said they found fluid in her lungs, so put her death as asphyxiation. Our physicians believe the primary cause of death was related to the GI necrosis and/or perforation deaths we have been seeing particularly over the holidays. We are taking several actions to further alert parents and providers – AND NEED YOUR HELP, YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE! We need to get a warning to all providers and see that they get a very clear warning to all parents who have adult children in placement. With the help of Dr. Barb Whitman, we have put together a sample letter that providers can use when they send a person with PWS for a home visit. The classic situation is that the person with PWS is slim due to being in a controlled environment, but when he/she goes home for a home visit (especially the holidays) everyone gets lax thinking a few pounds won’t kill them. Well, a few pounds might not kill them, but an overeating binge might! Help us spread the word. Click here for sample letter |
