A CORONER has recommended a review of hospital procedures, after a toddler died of septicaemia within hours of being discharged from Thanet hospital.

Two-year-old Harley Dunning spent a night in hospital before being cleared by doctors and sent home.

His parents Natasha Hellery and Adam Dunning fear medical staff were distracted by the fact Harley had been in the car with his mum earlier that day when she suddenly braked and did not properly investigate his symptoms.

The devastated couple are now calling for more people to be made aware of the symptoms of meningococcal septicaemia.

In a statement the family said: "The symptoms need to be made clearer to parents, and there need to be leaflets sent home from schools. Not all the symptoms can be seen at first and may come up later.

"Following our experience of losing our son, we understand the hospital was not looking for the symptoms of meningococcal septicaemia due to the sudden braking in the car.

"If Harley had been taken in as being unwell they may have been looking deeper into meningococcal septicaemia.

"We do not wish for any other family to suffer as we have."

An inquest, held over two days at Broadstairs' Pierremont Hall, heard Harley had been taken to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate on February 22, 2008, with stomach pains and urine retention, which were put down to the earlier incident in the car.

Doctors decided to keep him in overnight because he was pale, quiet and reluctant to stand.

He had a high temperature and was given painkillers after an X-ray and blood test, the inquest heard.

An ultrasound scan the next morning failed to show any signs of trauma or need for surgery and, by the time Harley was discharged at 4pm, he was said to be well.

Just a few hours later, however, the little boy started frothing at the mouth and could not be roused, and his father called an ambulance to their home in Whitstable.

Harley died on the way to the hospital.

A postmortem examination revealed it was "highly unlikely" that the road traffic accident affected the case.

The inquest heard that Harley's family were concerned more checks should have been made before he was discharged, including retaking his temperature.

Dr Christine Sathananthan, a pre- registration house officer at the hospital who had seen Harley during the morning, said she had not spoken to Harley's parents before he was discharged and was aware no further temperature checks had been made after 10am.

He did not have the classic rash to indicate meningococcal septicaemia when he was admitted.

Harley's discharge report stated he was in "good condition" and was eating and drinking.

Coroner Rebecca Cobb said that the hospital could not be held responsible for Harley's death and recorded a verdict of natural causes.

She said she would, however, be making recommendations to the Government about four aspects of hospital procedure, including carrying out temperature and blood pressure checks immediately prior to a child's discharge.

Nursing staff should also be urged to liaise more closely with parents before a child goes home, she said.

A spokesman for East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust offered condolences to Harley's family.

He said: "The circumstances of Harley's admission to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital have been thoroughly investigated by both HM Coroner and solicitors acting for the family, and whilst Harley's death was caused by meningococcal sepsis, the hospital staff could not have taken any steps to prevent his death."