I think it very likely that this infant was ill with meningitis at the time of the phone call.  (I am assuming that you did this all over the phone without seeing the mother or baby.  )  Of course one could never know for sure.
It also remains to be unknown if the child would have been seen then if there would or would not have been any difference in the outcome.  We can't do major septic workups on every baby that appears to not be "normal" yet we have to some how have the skills to tell the "mildly abnormal" from the "highly abnormal".  And of course we all know that hindsight is usually 20/20.

What was the time frame from when you were called till when the infant died?

Jon

Jon Ahrendsen MD FAAFP
Becky Ahrendsen RN IBCLC
Clarion, Iowa