Parent says NUH doctors failed to provide comprehensive care to son suffering months of vomiting
A parent in Singapore has taken to Facebook to air her anger over what she claims was medical negligence at the National University Hospital (NUH), after her son was allegedly dismissed despite suffering months of unexplained vomiting.
Susan (not her real name), who wished to remain anonymous, said her 12-year-old son had been vomiting persistently for about two months.
When his condition became more severe in December last year, Susan and her husband decided to bring him to NUH’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.
Source: Facebook
However, he was allegedly sent home after only a blood test and a single dose of medication.
To make matters worse, their follow-up visit was met with a short consultation that allegedly did not include any investigations or prescribed medications.
Source: Facebook
Brought son to A&E after months of vomiting
Susan’s husband and their domestic helper brought their son, Colin (not his real name), who has non-verbal autism, to NUH’s Accident & Emergency (A&E) department on 27 Dec last year.
This was after multiple visits to their regular GP failed to resolve their son’s vomiting issue.
According to Susan, the attending doctor allegedly told her husband that he would not prescribe medication to stop the vomiting, saying that children should “just vomit [it] out”.
She claimed that only a basic blood test was conducted, allegedly to assess whether Colin was stable, rather than to investigate the cause of his prolonged vomiting.
After a long deliberation with the first doctor, a second, allegedly more senior doctor was consulted. Eventually, one dose of medication was administered.
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Colin was then discharged and sent home for observation, as his vomiting decreased after taking the medication.
Susan acknowledged that the medication helped reduce the frequency of vomiting, though she said her son continued to vomit up to once a day.
Specialist consultation allegedly lasted ‘2 minutes’
A follow-up appointment with a paediatric gastroenterology specialist at NUH was scheduled for 12 Jan.
Once again, Colin was brought in by his father and their domestic helper.
Susan alleged that during the consultation, the specialist responded to concerns about her son being severely underweight by saying he should be “fed more bananas to grow”.
Photo courtesy of Susan
She claimed the doctor only conducted a brief physical check, touching Colin’s stomach, before advising the family to continue observing him.
No explanation was allegedly given for the cause of the vomiting over the past two months, and Susan said the specialist did not discuss further investigations, such as an endoscopy.
Susan’s husband said the entire consultation had lasted only “2 minutes”.
The family was then told to return for another appointment in a few months’ time. Due to their shock, Susan’s husband and her helper were not able to ask why no further tests were needed.
Frustration with NUH feedback process
Distressed by the consultation, Susan called NUH’s feedback hotline on the same day.
While a patient relations officer eventually returned her call, Susan alleged that the hotline operator had a “poor attitude” and could only say that the matter would be escalated to management, without providing details or a clear timeline.
After pressing for answers, Susan was told NUH would respond within 14 days. Unsatisfied, she demanded faster action, and the timeline was eventually shortened to two days.
She requested either a refund of fees paid or a complimentary specialist consultation, citing what she described as “wasted time, leave taken, transport costs, and emotional distress”.
Follow-up call left family unconvinced
On 13 Jan, Susan spoke to another NUH patient relations officer, who repeatedly asked whether the medication from the first AnE visit had resolved the vomiting.
Susan replied that while it had improved, the vomiting had not stopped entirely.
She was told that the specialist believed Colin’s condition was “well” and that there was no indication for further tests based on the doctor’s assessment, and that protocols had to be followed.
NUH offered another specialist consultation, but Susan was told the earliest available slot was seven weeks later — a wait she described as “ridiculous”, fearing her son’s condition could worsen.
When she raised her concerns, she was told she could seek treatment at another hospital if she wished.
No referral letter was offered at the time, which Susan later obtained through her GP.
Second opinion sought, foreign object found
In an update, Susan said Colin was taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) on 15 Jan after his vomiting worsened.
Photo courtesy of Susan
An X-ray revealed a sharp foreign object in his stomach, and he is currently hospitalised awaiting treatment.
However, Susan noted that doctors have not confirmed whether the object is the root cause of his prolonged vomiting, and further investigations are ongoing.
NUH responds to allegations
In response to queries from MS News, an NUH spokesperson said the hospital was aware of the incident and had reviewed the case.
According to NUH, the child was assessed by a senior consultant on 12 Jan, “who conducted a detailed clinical assessment”.
The child was found to be stable, with no symptoms requiring immediate investigations or hospital admission.
NUH added that caregivers had reported improvement in symptoms at the time, and a care plan involving close monitoring and symptom observation was discussed and agreed upon by the caregiver present.
Regarding the earlier A&E visit, NUH said a thorough evaluation, including blood tests, was conducted, and while no urgent intervention was required, admission was offered but declined by the caregiver.
The hospital said it has reached out to the family to provide clarification and better understand their concerns, adding that patient relations officers will continue engaging the family to seek an amicable resolution.
“We remain committed to providing safe, appropriate and compassionate care to all our patients,” NUH said.
Also Read: NUH Apologises To Pregnant Lady Who Lost Baby After 2-Hour Wait, Hospital Reviewing Processes
NUH Apologises To Pregnant Lady Who Lost Baby After 2-Hour Wait, Hospital Reviewing Processes
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