A TODDLER died after doctors failed to spot a deadly brain tumour.

Two-year-old Max Earley, who lived in Dovedale Close, may have survived if it had been diagnosed earlier, a coroner has ruled.

During the inquest at Westminster Coroner’s Court earlier this month, it was heard the tumour went undiagnosed for several weeks, leaving Max in pain and eventually killing him.

His parents, Caroline and Vladimir Earley, are devastated after discovering their son could have been saved.

“So many things came out in the inquest that we weren’t aware of, it's so upsetting," said Mrs Earley

They heard how one doctor incorrectly read a CT scan, missing the tumour, and others thought the scan had been reviewed by Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) experts, who had never in fact looked at it.

Max fell ill in August 2012.

He was vomiting constantly and was admitted to Hillingdon Hospital where the CT scan was carried out amid fears he might have a brain tumour.

But because another test showed up a potential hernia, Max was transferred to London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where doctors searched for a gastro-intestinal cause of his illness.

An MRI scan, which would have shown the tumour, was ‘put on hold’ while doctors explored other possibilities.

Max was allowed home but his condition deteriorated and he was readmitted to Chelsea and Westminster in September.

It was only when his condition nose dived on September 23 and he was rushed to GOSH that the tumour was finally diagnosed.

Doctors underwent emergency surgery and removed some of it.

But Max never recovered and died on September 28 aged just 27 months.

During the two-day inquest, Mrs Earley gave evidence and described how she told doctors she was watching her son die.

“We are at a loss to understand how in a modern health care system Max’s brain tumour was not properly identified for a month since it was first suspected,” she said.

“In that time Max had got weaker and weaker, he lost weight and must have been in terrible pain at times.

“He was too young to tell us how he was feeling and we are saddened beyond words that we could not help him despite having placed him in the hands of the doctors.

“He had to endure many painful medical procedures that would have been avoided with proper care.

“We did our best for our child but there were times when we weren’t listened to and Max’s changing behaviour was not appreciated.

“Towards the end while Max was in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Max’s father had to hold his son while he had a prolonged seizure which was not recognised as such, despite his attempts to get help for his son.

“If his tumour had been diagnosed, Max’s life would have been saved.”

Hillingdon and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals say they have made changes processes to prevent any similar mistakes.

A spokeswoman for the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like to offer its condolences to Max Earley’s parents.

“It notes the findings of the coroner’s investigation and hopes that Max’s family is reassured by the actions put in place since his death.”

Since Max’s death, Mrs Earley has been working with HeadSmart, a project raising awareness of the symptoms of brain tumours in children.

You can send off for a credit card-sized symptom guide to help spot the signs.

In April last year she raised £900 for the charity at a table top sale and information event in St Mary’s Church Hall in High Street.

To find out more see: www.headsmart.org.uk