Spreading word about adult form of cot death syndrome (From Croydon Guardian)

Spreading word about adult form of cot death syndrome

11:38am Wednesday 15th February 2006

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A Purley mum who suspects her husband died from the adult form of cot death is hoping her warning prevents others dying from the condition unnecessarily.

Helen Preest, 31, wants to raise enough money to get special heart monitors put in GP surgeries, schools and universities which may be able to detect the signs of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) before it kills.

An inquest into Bill Preest's death took place at Croydon Coroner's Court yesterday (Tuesday). It found the otherwise healthy 37-year-old corporate solicitor died from the natural cause of sudden adult death.

Coroner Dr Roy Palmer held off from giving the cause of death as SADS as he was not certain the syndrome was the cause.

However, the dad-of-two's family who got a second opinion from a leading pathologist who specialises in SADS believe he was the victim of the syndrome, a condition which little is known about.

Bill Preest was with his two-year-old son Oliver when he died at the family home in Purley Knoll last October.

Father and son had been asleep on the sofa when the toddler awoke to see his dad having a seizure, believed to have happened sometime between 3pm and 4pm.

Oliver stayed with his father's body until 6.30pm when Helen returned home from work as a legal executive in the city.

Helen said: "I got a call from the nursery saying our three-year-old daughter Lauren hadn't been picked up.

"When we got back the house was in darkness. I walked into the living room and Bill was on the sofa with Oliver. He looked as though he was asleep. I shook him but there was no response. As soon as my hand touched his face I felt how cold he was."

Helen desperately tried to revive her husband in front of the couple's two small children. However, less than an hour later he was pronounced dead at Mayday Hospital.

The inquest heard how Bill had felt exhausted days before his death.

"Bill was a very funny, highly intelligent man who loved his family," Helen added. "His job was stressful and sometimes he would work through the night. However, he was very fit and healthy and played sports.

"I've since learned he had a similar seizure while he was playing hockey at university.

"My children have had nightmares about what they saw, particularly Oliver, but we talk about what happened every day.

"The fact that Oliver saw what happened has been a big help as there aren't usually witnesses to SADS cases.

"He told us he tried to wake his daddy up by giving him kisses and cuddles. But, remarkably, he was also able to tell us exactly what happened and was very communicative, even at his young age. That has been invaluable."

Medical experts believe SADS could be linked with electrical abnormalities with the heart. These can be spotted with a heart monitor.

Helen now wants to raise money in Bill's name, in conjunction with the charity SADS UK, for heart monitors which could detect abnormalities.

"The idea is to get one in every GP surgery, school and university," she added. "We'll start by putting one in Durham University, where Bill studied. Then I want to get them in GP surgeries and schools.

"If we can stop this from happening to other people, then Bill's death won't be in vain."

SADS facts

- Like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or cot death') SADS is the name given when the cause of death cannot be identified.

- According to the British Heart Foundation, 150 apparently healthy adults die suddenly from cardiac or unexplained deaths each year.

- No cause of death can be identified, but many may be due to electrical abnormalities of the heart, which could be inherited.

- As electrical measurements of the heart can only be made when a person is alive, any such electrical abnormalities which could hold vital clues to an underlying condition cannot be detected after death.

For further information visit www.sadsuk.org.

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