Joshua Allcock

“During the course of the inquest, I heard evidence from health professionals from the Hospital Trust, Local authority service providers and an expert, Paediatric Nephrologist.”

“My concern is that [the deceased] was never formally diagnosed with Autism and there appears to be nationally, a variation in practice before an assessment for autism can be made. Some areas specify 3 years of age or above but there is no clear national guidance.”

“In addition, I heard expert evidence that [the deceased]'s death wasn't an isolated incident and another autistic child died in very similar circumstances by developing dehydration.”

“The expert evidence also indicated that the Capillary Refill Time (CRT) test used to assess dehydration by checking peripheral blood flow is a very insensitive test and can provide misleading reassurance. Therefore, my concern is that young children with similar circumstances to [the deceased] maybe at risk when assessing levels of dehydration. NHS England may wish to consider reviewing their guidance for health professionals.”

“In summary, all the agencies involved in [the deceased]'s care, may wish to consider reviewing your guidance and approach for assessing children with complex medical needs of autism and ARFID.”