January 13th 2024.
Alfie Anthony Nicholls was a young boy who faced many challenges due to his autism. One of these challenges was sensory difficulties, which caused him to have a very restricted diet. Unfortunately, this ultimately led to his death in 2021 from cardiac arrest, during the height of the pandemic.
The inquest into Alfie's death revealed that doctors had overlooked his severely malnourished state. Despite his mother, Lucy Morrison, making multiple trips to the hospital and his GP in the weeks leading up to his death, no one had diagnosed Alfie with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, a common issue seen in children with autism.
The coroner criticized Alfie's doctors for this oversight, and officials at the hospital where he passed away also apologized to Lucy and her family. A post-mortem examination showed that Alfie's heart was not functioning properly due to his chronic malnutrition caused by his restrictive diet.
Lucy hopes to raise awareness of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder so that other children with autism do not suffer the same tragic fate as her son. Reflecting on her experience, she shared that caring for Alfie had been incredibly difficult and lonely. She wants other parents to know that they are not alone and that their children's struggles with food and intake are not simply a part of their autism.
Lucy also hopes to dispel the misconception that children with autism are just picky eaters and that their struggles with food intake are a sign of something more serious. She wants parents to know that their voices will be heard and that they are not going crazy in seeking help for their child's eating habits.
In response to the tragic outcome of Alfie's case, a spokesperson for the hospital expressed their condolences to the family and acknowledged the missed opportunities in Alfie's care. They offered sincere apologies to Lucy and her family and acknowledged the complexity of Alfie's case.
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