'Skin and bone': Mum lays complaint after newborn’s ‘failure to thrive’ missed by healthcare providers

Baby Soleia was close to death after her mother was told by a well child carer the infant was “absolutely fine” despite weighing a fraction above her birth weight. 

First-time mum Mikayla Kerr-Stunt has laid two complaints about a wellbeing service after being told her daughter was suffering from “failure to thrive” a fortnight after her well child provider said she was a happy, healthy baby. 

Soleia with her mother Mikayla and father Adam. 

At 9 weeks old Soleia weighed 3.6kg, 180g more than her birth weight. Despite this, the family’s well child provider Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga – Tamariki Ora reassured Kerr-Stunt her baby was “completely and utterly fine”. 

It wasn’t until she raced to hospital after her daughter would not stop vomiting that she discovered how frail Soleia’s health had become. 

The Hawke’s Bay mother told the Herald she is “absolutely traumatised” after the hospital told her Soleia would not have survived much longer if she had not been brought in. A week later, Soleia was diagnosed with “failure to thrive”. 

“She had lost 400g in three days and was skin and bone. She was just 180g above her birth weight.” 

Kerr-Stunt laid a complaint with Tamariki Ora in mid-May and more recently with the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC). 

An HDC spokesperson told the Herald the “complaint was under assessment” and they were unable to comment further until it was completed. 

A spokesperson for Health NZ, which funds Tamariki Ora, told the Herald a week after being asked for comment that it had acknowledged the concerns raised. 

Soleia was hospitalised twice for her severe vomiting and "failure to thrive" diagnosis. 

“Health New Zealand acknowledges the concerns raised by Ms Kerr‑Stunt regarding her daughter’s care and the experience she has described. We take any concerns about the safety and wellbeing of infants very seriously. 

“The service is delivered by a Health New Zealand-funded provider and we are speaking with them to understand the circumstances of the care provided.” 

Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga – Tamariki Ora has yet to respond after being approached for comment. 

Kerr-Stunt said she had not yet been contacted by officials with any information. 

Complications in early April led to Soleia being taken to hospital on Easter weekend when she was 6 weeks old. 

“She was throwing up her feeds every single time and some of the vomit had blood... they did all the tests, including a lumbar puncture and CT scan, and gave her the diagnosis of a twisted bowel.” 

Soleia began to gain weight and hospital staff put the earlier loss down to the vomiting. 

A couple of weeks later, Kerr-Stunt visited her midwife to say thank you and that’s when the midwife held Soleia and said she felt “ribby”. 

“She told me she would have expected her to weigh more than 440g above her birth weight, at seven weeks.” 

Her midwife suggested she talk with her well child provider about Soleia’s weight at the next appointment, which had been scheduled for the following week. 

Soleia is now a happy and healthy 3-month-old. 

The provider said Soleia was “completely and utterly fine” and at 4kg reassured Kerr-Stunt the infant was happy and healthy and “nothing was wrong with her”. 

“My midwife suggested I do dream feeding because she was sleeping through the night, so I did that and she [well care provider] told me to cut that too.” 

Three days later Soleia was taken to hospital with another severe bout of vomiting and weighed 3.6kg – only 180g over her birth weight. 

“The hospital also looked at her well child provider comments and noticed she [Soleia] had gone from being in the 25th percentile into the second percentile, which was never communicated to me.” 

The hospital discharged Soleia a week later with a diagnosis of “failing to thrive” as well as severe reflux, which she was medicated for. She fell under the 1% growth percentile. 

Kerr-Stunt removed Soleia from the care of Tamariki Ora and is now with Whānau Āwhina Plunket. 

“She’s a lot happier and is meeting her fortnightly weight,” said the relieved mum. 

“I just want parents to be made aware because it was traumatising and I don’t want it happening to anyone else.”