The plaintiffs brought a medical malpractice action against two pediatric neurologists for their treatment of an infant's intractable seizures in 2003.
The infant suffered from a rare condition, pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE).
The court found that the defendants breached the standard of care by setting an insufficient observation period during a pyridoxine empirical trial, improperly concluding the treatment was ineffective, and failing to reconsider pyridoxine when seizures returned.
The court also found the defendants breached their duty to obtain informed consent by failing to advise the parents of the trial and alternative treatment options.
The court concluded these breaches caused or contributed to the infant's severe intellectual and developmental delay.
