NSW: Toddler with croup dies after international flight

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2007
NSW: Toddler with croup dies after international flight

SYDNEY, Dec 12 AAP - A two-year-old Swedish boy who died after arriving in Sydney on
an international flight was suffering from the viral infection croup, ambulance officers
say.

The boy, who was travelling with his parents on a Thai Airways flight yesterday, went
into cardiac arrest and died after the aircraft was diverted to Sydney for an unrelated
stop.

Emergency service crews were called to Sydney's international airport about 9.30pm
(AEDT) yesterday following the arrival of the Thai Airways flight, which it's believed
was originally headed for Brisbane.

An ambulance spokesman told AAP the boy was suffering from croup, a relatively common
infection of the throat and windpipe which usually occurs in children aged under three.

Croup causes swelling and narrows a child's airway, making breathing more difficult.

Mild croup can be managed at home, health authorities say, but children with serious
symptoms should be taken to hospital urgently.

Police and health authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy, expected to be
completed today.

NSW Health will consider a community treatment plan, which may include other passengers
on the Thai Airways flight, once the cause of death is established.

The boy's family are not Australian citizens but are currently living here, a spokeswoman
for the Swedish embassy in Canberra told AAP.

"The embassy is in contact with the family which is normal when a Swedish citizen dies
abroad ... the embassy is automatically contacted," the spokeswoman said.

"There is a time difference with Sweden, they are about 10 hours behind (AEDT) and
since we believe not all the family members have been informed (of the death) yet we're
not making any further comments."

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KEYWORD: FLIGHT NIGHTLEAD

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