Preston Davey trial LIVE as foster carer denies defendant’s claim – updates

Mr Kennedy KC is now asking about the hospital attendance on May 25, 2023, when Preston was ‘floppy’ with ‘possible seizure activity’.

Medical notes said Preston had shortness of breath, increased work of breathing, was floppy, unresponsive and had a nosebleed, the jury is told. Shaking limbs and stiffness were also noted.

Preston was treated with seizure medication, the jury is told.

Two days afterwards, Mr Varley messaged a group chat with Preston’s former foster parents, saying the baby had been really poorly with a nosebleed and had a seizure in hospital, the court hears. He reported a chest X-ray came back with a bad infection, and blood tests showed low sodium.

Mr Kennedy asks Dr Gifford to confirm that low sodium is found in febrile seizures. Dr Gifford confirms when small children have a temperature spike it can cause this type of seizure.

This is not epilepsy – it only occurs when children have a fever, she says. A third of children will only have one febrile seizure, but others will go on to have further episodes, Dr Gifford adds.

The seizure is not a response to the fever, but parents are encouraged to undress the child to their nappy and give paracetamol to bring the child’s temperature down, she adds.