A fitting baby whose parents were told she had hiccups, died of natural causes, an inquest heard.

Leia Smith was nine days old when she passed away in Maidstone Hospital’s Monckton ward – two days after being admitted with sepsis.

The hearing heard she had been suffering from an infection – neonatal coxsackievirus B2 – which led to acute heart failure.

Although common for adults, this viral complaint is severe for newborns due to their undeveloped immune systems.

After hearing how significant details about Leia’s condition were not communicated between staff, Mid Kent and Medway coroner Patricia Harding said she would have written to trust bosses had improvements in keeping notes and communication not already been made.

Leia, of South Bank, Sutton Valence, was originally admitted to the ward with a fever on April 2, 2011.

But on the night of April 7 at eight days, she had a series of fits, which were not picked up.

One staff nurse saw her eyes were crossed, but she and a registrar agreed it was a squint. She also saw her having twitches but believed it was hiccups.

Eight nurses took Leia’s readings but not all were recorded.

This meant a consistently low temperature was not communicated to doctors.

On April 8, Leia’s heart rate slowed and a pulse could not be found, so resuscitation was started at 6.30pm, lasting for 55 minutes.

Consultant paediatrician Nikila Pandya told how she called Leia’s dad, Alex, to hold her, as she was unlikely to survive.

Mrs Harding said: “I am satisfied from the evidence I have heard, although it is clear that Leia herself tried very hard to fight the infection, on the balance of probabilities the outcome would not have been any different if the infection had been diagnosed.

“Following Leia’s death a system has been put in operation. A persistent low temperature as seen in Leia’s case would automatically be elevated to doctor level.”

Speaking after the hearing, Leia’s parents, Alex and Julia, said: “At least they have made the changes, although something like this shouldn’t have had to happen for that to be done.”

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