SEIZURES which affected a baby in the weeks before he died may have occurred because he was not developing fast enough, an inquest heard.

Paediatricians who monitored Toby Woods in August and September 1999 wanted to carry out more tests on him, after a cyst was found on his brain.

While it is not thought the cyst caused Toby's death on September 28, 1999, the inquest at Clitheroe Town Hall heard it may have caused 'staring episodes' -- periods of unresponsiveness.

His mother Donna Hanson, of Accrington, reported the episodes to medics but nurses at Queen's Park Hospital and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital failed to alert bosses. Paediatric staff began to suspect Miss Hanson of harming three-month-old Toby, the inquest was told.

Their suspicions grew and after Toby's death, Miss Hanson was arrested for murdering Toby and his elder brother Ashley, who died in December 1998, aged 10 months.

The inquest heard that nurses reported that Toby did not seem as stimulated as he should have been, and the inquest heard consultants later thought the cyst may have been slowing his development.

Dr John Benson from QPH said that if senior medics had known about the staring episodes they may not have been so concerned about Miss Hanson. Over several weeks, concern reached such a point that a secret meeting between health bosses and social services was held in Blackburn to discuss 'child protection' issues, the hearing was told.

The inquest also heard that tests revealed Toby was suffering from chronic Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) which makes the body retch acid out of the stomach, possibly landing in the oesophagus.

It can force the vocal chord to close, making it hard to breathe.

(Proceeding)