SAMUT SAKHON — A father was shocked when he took his newborn for treatment at Krathum Baen Hospital in Krathum Baen District, Samut Sakhon Province. The baby he received back didn’t have eyebrows like his child. When he questioned the hospital, they responded that ‘newborns are like this, their faces change every day.’
On September 16, 2024, Dr. Surawit Sakdanuphap, Samut Sakhon Provincial Public Health Doctor, along with Dr. Thammawitya Kuakulkiat, Director of Krathum Baen Hospital, Deputy Director, and Head of Nursing, jointly announced the investigation results and admitted to the mistake after this ‘baby switch’ story appeared on social media and became mainstream news.
Dr. Surawit said that this case occurred around mid-August. The mistake came from the performance of Krathum Baen Hospital staff. The hospital has admitted fault and taken responsibility for the entire incident. Previously, they had already spoken with the Thai child’s father once and have scheduled both families to come for further discussions about all reparative actions as requested.
He provided details from questioning the child caretakers and ward chief, stating that both newborns were children of a Thai family and a Myanmar family. They were suspected of having infections and were admitted to the patient ward for close monitoring. During the treatment period, there were over 10 sick children.
At that time, both children had infections and needed treatment with intravenous antibiotics and saline. Therefore, during the care procedures, including giving saline and bathing and changing clothes for the infants, the wristbands had to be removed. This led to the mistake that resulted in the switching of the babies.
The case was shared on Facebook by a user named Anucha (surname withheld) on September 16. He wrote that he wanted his case to be a study for others because if he hadn’t observed his child closely, his biological child might have ended up in Myanmar.
He stated that his daughter was born on August 11, 2024, with rapid breathing, so she had to be separated from her mother. His child was placed in the intensive care unit and needed antibiotics for 7 days. On the 12th, he and his wife visited the child in the ICU where photos were prohibited, but he secretly took pictures every day to send to his mother, from the 13th to the 16th.
But on August 17, he noticed that his child’s hair, which was previously long, had become shorter, and the baby’s face had changed, especially the missing eyebrows. When he looked for the name tag, it was missing. The clothes and towel weren’t his child’s.
He asked the nurse, who said they might have been lost during bathing and clothes in the box might have been switched.
On the 18th, when his child completed the antibiotic course, they took her home. No matter how he looked at the infant, it wasn’t his child.
On Monday, August 19, Anucha said he called the hospital, expressing his suspicion that the infant wasn’t his. The hospital staff said his child was different from others because of the 7-day medication, so there would be bruises on the wrist from blood draws, which he confirmed. But he still wondered why the eyebrows were gone. He was told, “Children’s faces change every day.”
The next day, Anucha couldn’t bear it anymore and posted in the Krathum Baen news group, asking if the children are the same. Most people said they weren’t and advised him to go to the hospital for a DNA test.
So on Wednesday, August 21, he rushed to the hospital with the child and a nurse for a check-up and explained everything. The nurse then took blood samples from him, his wife, and the child. The results came out clearly showing that this infant wasn’t his child.
“I was angry, furious, very sad, and felt sorry for my child. I told the deputy hospital director that they must do whatever it takes, I just want to see my real child,” Anucha said.
The hospital found his child after blood tests on both families confirmed the switch. They also discovered that his child had received antibiotics for more than 7 days, while the other infant received less than 7 days.
Then, DNA tests were conducted for certainty. The hospital said they would compensate with immediate free treatment, but for monetary compensation, they asked to wait for 2 weeks, not guaranteeing the full amount, claiming they needed to collect donations first. Anucha said if he had to wait, he would, but the hospital should resolve this as quickly as possible.
The hospital management explained that upon receiving information from the Thai child’s father and his request for a DNA test, they immediately complied. The initial results confirmed the father’s suspicion of a baby switch. They then located the switched infant and returned both to their biological parents. They also sent samples for a second DNA test at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, which confirmed the switch.
Dr. Surawit said this mistake occurred at Krathum Baen Hospital, and they are willing to take responsibility for all costs incurred, including long-term medical care for both children equally. They are also prepared to provide monetary compensation as requested by the Thai child’s parents. Both families have been scheduled for further clarification and understanding.
Additionally, the hospital has set up a committee to investigate the facts, review measures, and establish guidelines to increase newborn safety. They acknowledged that using wristbands alone is insufficient and plan to install more CCTV cameras for comprehensive monitoring. They have also emphasized to staff the need for more careful and thorough care in distinguishing newborns to prevent such incidents.
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