Baby boy 'critical' after Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow gave him paracetamol overdose

An eight-week-old baby is in critical condition after he was given ten times the correct dose of paracetamol at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Zohan Ul Hassan was born seven weeks premature on January 24 – according to his parents, he was in perfect health.

His parents say they are “completely destroyed” and no longer trust the hospital to administer medication.

“We are completely destroyed – what they have done is unforgivable”
Ahad Ul Hassan, Zohan’s father

At six weeks old, Zohan started showing symptoms of a hernia on the left side of his abdomen – at which point he was admitted to the Royal Hospital for Children.

His father, Ahad, told STV News the baby underwent hernia surgery at the beginning of March and was discharged.

But a week later, his stomach began to swell again – doctors said he needed another hernia surgery, this time on his right-hand side.

On Tuesday, March 18, Zohan underwent the second surgery – Ahad and his wife, Hira, were not worried since the first one had gone smoothly and they knew what to expect.

“I was at work, and suddenly my phone rang at around 12.30pm – they told me we needed to come to the hospital immediately as his medical team had made a huge blunder,” Ahad said.

“They said he had been poisoned – instead of 20mg of Paracetamol, he was given 200mg during the surgery.”

Zohan’s medical team administered a dose of acetylcysteine – which is an antidote for paracetamol poisoning.

“He seemed very disturbed, like he wanted to cry but his voice wouldn’t allow it,” Ahad told STV News.

“His heartbeat had skyrocketed to two or three times the normal rate.

“He had cannulas all over his body – they were taking so much blood from our tiny baby.”

The next day, Zohan began to have seizures and he was transferred to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Ahad claims there was a delay in responding to the seizures and taking the necessary action.

Zohan was placed on a ventilator and sedated – he has remained unconscious since.

He has swelling on the brain, with doctors currently unable to predict the outcome. He may have irreversible brain damage and problems with his vision, Ahad told STV News.

The health board has accepted responsibility for the overdose and an internal investigation into the incident is under way.

Zohan’s distraught family say this isn’t enough.

Zohan's parents say they've 'lost all faith' in the NHS. — Zohan’s parents say they’ve ‘lost all faith’ in the NHS. Supplied

“We’ve completely lost all faith in the NHS – in a meeting with the hospital director yesterday, they apologised profusely but that won’t make this all go away,” Ahad said.

“Our baby is still sick and an apology is not going to make him well. We just want to hold our poor baby and take him home.”

The couple, from Ayr, have been staying near the hospital so they can be near to Zohan.

“I insisted we be there anytime Zohan is given any medication – I no longer trust them with his care,” Ahad told STV News.

“We are completely destroyed – what they have done is unforgivable. We brought our baby to hospital for a routine one-hour surgery, and they’ve destroyed our lives.

“All we can do now is pray for a miracle.”

NHSGGC has apologised for the overdose. STV News

Dr Claire Harrow, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s deputy medical director for Acute Services, said: “We would like to sincerely apologise to the family of baby Zohan Ul Hassan.

“We are continuing to deliver the best possible care for Zohan and we continue to offer support to his family at this distressing time.

“We have launched a full investigation into this incident and his family will be fully informed of and involved in this process as it continues.”