A Sydney mother is seeking answers from health authorities after her seven-month-old daughter was allegedly left with what she believes is a second-degree burn during hospital treatment.
Jaqueline Machado, 38, said her baby daughter, Liyana, suffered the injury to her right hand this week as hospital staff tried to collect a blood sample.
The Daily Mail understands the incident happened at a hospital in Sydney’s west.
Ms Machado said Liyana was taken by ambulance to the emergency department on Monday night after developing a low body temperature and an alarming rash over her torso and face.
‘A doctor came in to see us and asked us questions about Liyana’s medical history. At the time, Liyana had a very low temperature and we were obviously extremely concerned about what was happening to her,’ Ms Machado told the Daily Mail.
‘There was a significant focus on the fact that Liyana was unvaccinated. I personally felt judged about her vaccination status, and I became extremely frightened when concerns were raised with us that she could potentially have a serious bacterial infection.
‘The doctor recommended that blood tests be taken to investigate what was happening and, of course, we agreed. We wanted the doctors to investigate.’
Ms Machado said the doctor warned the family that locating a vein could be challenging because of Liyana’s age, and explained they would need to assist in holding her still.
Seven-month-old Liyana Rojas is believed to have sustained a second-degree burn while a doctor took a blood sample at hospital.
The burn is alleged to have happened after a doctor held a torch beneath her right hand to help locate a vein.
Her mother, Jaqueline Machado (pictured with her husband Daniel and eldest daughter), said the ordeal has left her family traumatised
She said the doctor first used an ultrasound but struggled to find the vein, before placing a light under Liyana’s palm. Ms Machado added she remembers the light staying there for around 20 minutes.
‘Liyana was screaming throughout the procedure. At the time, we believed she was screaming because of the repeated attempts to access her vein. We had absolutely no idea that the light may have been causing an injury to her hand,’ she said.
‘I think that’s the part I find the most traumatic. We were helping restrain our seven-month-old daughter because we believed it was necessary for her medical care. She can’t speak and couldn’t tell us what she was experiencing.’
The Daily Mail understands that medical staff sometimes use ‘cold lights’ to help locate tiny veins in infants in a technique known as transillumination.
Ms Machado said her husband, Daniel Rojas, later noticed a blister on Liyana’s hand when another doctor came in to take another blood sample after the initial sample had coagulated.
But she said they soon realised that the ‘perfect circle’ blister appeared to align with the torch that had been placed on Liyana’s palm earlier – one Ms Machado claims was not medically approved by the hospital.
‘When we first saw the blister, we didn’t know what had caused it,’ she said.
‘We asked the doctor whether it could somehow be connected to whatever was making Liyana unwell, and we understood from that conversation that infection was one possibility being considered.’
Medical staff sometimes use ‘cold lights’ to help locate tiny veins in infants (stock image)
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Ms Machado said staff got Liyana to hold a cold cloth to loosen the blister before it burst
Liyana was then started on a course of antibiotics to treat the suspected infection.
‘The next doctor used a different light… my husband is a mechanical engineer and he recognised the type of torch that had been used earlier from his line of work.’
The mother of two, who has a sizeable online following for her wealth strategy tips, shared images of Liyana’s hand to her ‘Mumpreneur’ Instagram page on Tuesday, where a weeping and engorged blister could be seen.
She told her followers the alleged incident has ‘f***ing broken her as a mother’.
Liyana has now been referred to the Plastic Surgery/Burns Unit at Westmead Children’s Hospital for a specialist follow-up next week, where doctors will assess the severity of the injury and treatment may be required.
‘At this stage, we simply don’t know the full extent of the damage. We have been told that the burn could be partial or deeper and that surgery may potentially be required, but we won’t know that until Liyana has been properly assessed,’ she said.
Ms Machado, who said she doesn’t have much trust in the health system after experiencing a significant reaction to the Covid vaccine, said she is now seeking answers from authorities.
‘Liyana was in so much pain. She was already an unwell seven-month-old baby when we brought her to hospital, and to then discover that she had sustained a completely separate injury while receiving treatment has been incredibly distressing for our entire family,’ she said.
Little Liyana is believed to be on the mend and has ‘perked up’ in recent days
She added: ‘I just want parents to feel that they’re listened to and that their concerns about their children are taken seriously, without feeling judged for the decisions they’ve made for their children.
‘I also believe there need to be appropriate safeguards and training around equipment being used on babies and children. I don’t want another family to experience what we have experienced… this should never have happened.’
It’s understood Ms Machado is now seeking the services of a medical negligence lawyer.
A spokesperson for Liverpool Hospital told the Daily Mail that representatives have met with Liyana’s family to apologise.
‘The safety and care of our patients is our highest priority. The family’s experience and concerns have been taken extremely seriously, and the hospital is conducting a thorough review of the care provided,’ the spokesperson said.
‘While receiving care in the ED, the baby received a burn during a procedure. The injury was identified and the baby was promptly reviewed by specialist burns clinicians, with ongoing treatment and follow-up care arranged.
‘The baby remains clinically stable and has shown improvement in the condition for which she originally presented to hospital. The hospital has met with the family personally to better understand their experience and concerns and are continuing to provide support.
‘The family will be kept informed as the hospital’s investigation progresses.’