Cervical vertebrae diseases are becoming more common among the young. Australian spine specialist Dr James Carter says this is because they are spending longer periods using electronic products and often dip their heads and bend their backbones while using the devices. Carter says the number of patients as young as seven with neck and spinal problems has surged in the past two years.
The father of a three-year-old boy suffering from acute appendicitis accused Queen Mary Hospital of misdiagnosing the child with gastroenteritis, causing him to miss the critical time for an operation. This meant tubes had to be inserted into various parts of his body to drain pus. The hospital said the boy had all the symptoms of gastroenteritis and it was only during a second diagnosis, with the help of ultrasound scanning, that appendicitis was confirmed.