A
Couple who
had already lost two daughters to an unexplained medical condition told
yesterday of their devastation when a third daughter mysteriously
collapsed and died and was later identified as a victim of Sudden Death
Syndrome.
Alison
Linforth, a "bubbly and happy" 16-year-old, had complained of
slight chest pains, but these had been passed off as indigestion.
The
teenager was sitting at her desk on her first day as an A-level student
last September when she suddenly fell unconscious.
Staff
at Cadbury Sixth Form College in Kings Norton, Birmingham, tried to revive
her, but failed.
Her
parents, John and Evelyn, were stunned. They had lost another
daughter, Amanda, at eight weeks old to cot death in 1986. Then
three years later, another child, Zoe, was stillborn.
Specialists
at the Heart Hospital and University College Hospital in London later
concluded that Alison had died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
At
an inquest yesterday, the Linforth's were told their daughter may have
been the victim of an extremely rare heart condition.
Pathologist,
Dr Henry Thompson said the hereditary condition, Long QT syndrome, could
also have been responsible of the deaths of their two other
daughters. Tests are now being carried out on the rest of the
family, including their only surviving child, Gemma, a 20-year-old nursing
student. The findings may contribute to the debate over the
discredited theory of Professor Sir Roy Meadow that "one cot death is
a tragedy, two is suspicious and three is murder, unless proven
otherwise".
Mr
and Mrs Linforth have now backed calls from the charity Cardiac Risk in
the Young (CRY) for routine heart screening to prevent Sudden Death
Syndrome.
A
Private Member's Bill supporting such a move is due before the House of
Commons on March 12.
CRY
claims that between four and eight apparently fit and healthy young people
die from undiagnosed heart conditions in Britain every week.
"We
hope plans for the new law for routine heart screening of people at risk
will come into force." Mrs Linforth said yesterday. "It
could save a lot of lives and stop people going through the tragedy we
have seen."
Dr
Thompson said Long QT syndrome happens when there is an electrical
abnormality in the heart. It is only detectable by Electrocardiogram
(ECG) tests when people are alive. The condition is brought on by
vigorous exercise, stress and strong emotion or startling events which
make the heart beat abnormally fast or irregularly. The heart's
pumping action is interrupted, blood flow to the brain is cut off and the
person faints. In some cases – often on the first attack – the
victim dies.
Up
to a third of sufferers never show any symptoms and may never know they
have it.
Recording
a verdict of death by natural causes, coroner Aidan Cotter said the
specific cause of Alison's death could not be identified.
He
added: "Alison had hardly sat down before she collapsed in the
college, so there was no question of horseplay or fooling around. Teachers thought she had a fainting fit and acted appropriately."
After
the hearing, Mrs Linforth said: "We just want some closure on
Alison's death and didn't want an open verdict. To lose a third
child was just devastating. It's incomprehensible how you cope with
these things.
"There
are days when you feel you can't go on. Alison was such a bubbly,
happy young girl. She was always smiling and that is the way we try
to remember her."
Her
husband added: "When Alison died, it was like living through the past
all over again and you do find yourself asking "what have we done to
deserve it?" But there are no answers to that. Alison's
death was a tragedy, just like the other two children we have lost."
Find out more about Long QT Syndrome
