A Las Vegas mother claims a misdiagnosis led to the death of her 1-year-old son

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (FOX5) – A Las Vegas mother says a misdiagnosis cost the life of her one-and-a-half-year-old son.

One pediatric patient advocate says that without a comprehensive pediatric health care system in southern Nevada, stories like this are all too common.

It was the week of July 4 when Maya Beaudette testified that she took her wheezing son, Preston Jovi, to the emergency room.

A mother says a misdiagnosis cost her 1-and-a-half-year-old son’s life because Nevada does not have a comprehensive health care system for children.

She says he was diagnosed with croup, but her instincts told her it was something more serious.

“I don’t think it’s a rump. He didn’t cough even once during his stay in the hospital,” he says.

He says Preston has been fired. She says that as his symptoms worsened, she spent the next few days taking him to his primary care doctor and then back to the emergency room.

He says everyone, even the pulmonologist, confirmed the original diagnosis made in the ER.

“I thought that so far three doctors and a specialist had told me it was croup, maybe I’m wrong,” she says. “We left the hospital at 6 p.m. after being discharged, my son died eight hours later.”

According to the Clark County autopsy report, Preston died of acute bacterial tracheitis, a bacterial infection of the trachea.

“I live with guilt for the rest of my life. Why did I believe them?” – says Beaudette.

She says that at her worst moment, when she needed support the most, she received a booklet containing a handful of tips.

“It was the hardest time of my life, I had no support and as I was grieving the loss of my son, I had to make sure my other children were okay,” she says.

So that other parents wouldn’t feel as helpless as she did, Beaudette started Preston Jovi Foundation.

Among other things, the foundation provides resources for bereaved families with mental health information, offers financial grants for burials and memorials, helps with funeral arrangements, and even provides meals for families.

She says that thanks to her commitment to helping others, she survived the most difficult months of her life. He hopes that Preston’s memory will live on in every family touched by the foundation.

“He deserved to live and deserve to be remembered,” he says.

Losing a child is a pain no parent should have to experience, but pediatric patient advocate Rebecca Acosta says too many feel the pain.

“I hear a lot of stories about misdiagnosis, lack of diagnosis, or rejection of treatment,” Acosta says. “Without a comprehensive health care system for children, this happens often.”

Nevada The first freestanding children’s hospital is expected to be completed by 2030. Until then, Acosta says her important parents are giving themselves grace.

“Families are supposed to be the caretakers and coordinators of all these things, and these are real jobs that people go to school to learn,” he says. “It’s a monumental mountain that we’re asking families to climb.”

Acosta says it’s extremely important for parents to build a relationship with their primary care physician.

If something is wrong, she says parents can ask the doctor how they made a particular diagnosis or ask him to “show them the science.”

“You receive education as a parent or caregiver from a provider, and they educate themselves as well. They learn that this family will ask these questions, and over time they will begin to provide information even before you ask for it,” Acosta says.

He suggests continuing the conversation as much as possible, but in the worst case scenario you should not be afraid of going to another hospital.