Logan Reid
CNN journalist Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, was hospitalized in November 2021 after experiencing stomach pain, vomiting, and a high fever. Alice's parents urged the doctors to check for appendicitis, but they initially dismissed this and diagnosed her with a viral infection. After her condition worsened, Alice was transferred to another hospital where an X-ray revealed that she had a perforated appendix that was leaking toxic fluid into her body. Alice's story of a near-fatal misdiagnosis has brought attention to patient safety and advances in research at Michigan Medicine.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Jake Tapper's daughter | Alice Tapper |
| Age | 14 or 15 |
| Hospital | Not mentioned |
| Diagnosis | Appendicitis, Peritonitis, Sepsis, Acute Appendicitis |
| Hospital Department | Emergency Room, ICU |
| Year of Incident | 2021 |
| Month of Incident | November |
| Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Jake Tapper's Profession | CNN journalist/anchor |
| Jake Tapper's Daughter's Book | Not mentioned |
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What You'll Learn
- Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, almost died from a misdiagnosis
- Alice was initially diagnosed with a viral infection
- Alice's father called a hospital administrator to intervene
- Alice received an abdominal X-ray and ultrasound, revealing a perforated appendix
- The Tapper family is helping Michigan Medicine create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence
Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, almost died from a misdiagnosis
In 2021, Jake Tapper's teenage 14-year-old daughter, Alice, almost died from a near-fatal case of misdiagnosis. Alice was admitted to the hospital with stomach pain, low blood pressure, an elevated heart rate, a high white blood cell count, and vomiting. Doctors ruled out appendicitis because she experienced pain throughout her abdomen and could jump (barely an inch) off the ground. Alice's mother, Jennifer, asked doctors to give her daughter a sonogram, but they said it wasn't needed. Her father, Jake, asked for antibiotics, but the medical team said they could do more harm than good for a viral infection. Alice's condition worsened, and she was transferred to another hospital when the pain intensified. Her father called the hospital administrator, who intervened to get her an abdominal X-ray and ultrasound, which revealed a perforated appendix leaking toxic fluid into her body. Alice's story inspired the creation of a Center for Diagnostic Excellence in Medicine at Michigan Medicine, in collaboration with the University of Michigan. She has also written a book to empower kids visiting the hospital and advance research to ensure that what happened to her never happens to another child again.
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Alice was initially diagnosed with a viral infection
Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, was initially diagnosed with a viral infection. Alice Tapper, the 15-year-old daughter of CNN journalist Jake Tapper, shared her story of a near-fatal illness in an op-ed for CNN. Alice wrote that she "almost died" from appendicitis after being misdiagnosed with a viral infection. She described her experience of getting sick, with symptoms including stomach cramping, a low fever, chills, vomiting, low blood pressure, and intense abdominal pain.
Alice was admitted to the hospital, where doctors ruled out appendicitis because her pain was throughout her abdomen rather than localized. They diagnosed her with a viral infection and prescribed Tylenol for her pain. However, Alice's condition worsened, and her parents urged the doctors to check for appendicitis and provide antibiotics. The medical team refused, stating that antibiotics could do more harm than good in the case of a viral infection.
Desperate for help, Alice's father reached out to a hospital administrator, who intervened. An X-ray and ultrasound revealed that Alice had a perforated appendix that was leaking deadly bacteria into her body. This misdiagnosis had allowed the infection to spread, causing sepsis, and nearly costing Alice her life.
Alice and her family are now working with Michigan Medicine to create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence to ensure that no other child suffers a similar fate. Alice has also written a book about her experience, hoping to empower other children visiting the hospital and improve patient safety.
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Alice's father called a hospital administrator to intervene
Alice Tapper, the 15-year-old daughter of CNN journalist Jake Tapper, was admitted to the hospital with low blood pressure, an elevated heart rate, severe abdominal pain, and a high white blood cell count. Doctors initially diagnosed her with a viral infection and ruled out appendicitis. However, Alice's condition worsened, and her father, Jake, called a hospital administrator to intervene.
Alice's story began in November 2021 when she started experiencing stomach cramping, a low fever, chills, and vomiting. She was hospitalized and her symptoms raised concerns about appendicitis, but the doctors dismissed this possibility. Alice's mother, Jennifer, requested a sonogram, but it was denied, and her father asked for antibiotics, which were also refused. The medical team believed that Alice had a viral infection and that antibiotics could do more harm than good.
As Alice's pain intensified, she was transferred to another hospital. Her father, Jake, in desperation, reached out to a hospital administrator who intervened to get Alice the help she needed. An abdominal X-ray and ultrasound revealed that Alice had received an incorrect diagnosis. Her appendix had been perforated, and toxic fluid was leaking deadly bacteria into her body, causing sepsis.
Alice's near-fatal experience inspired her to write a book to empower other children visiting hospitals. She and her family are also working with Michigan Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine to create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence, ensuring that no child suffers a similar fate. Alice's story highlights the importance of patient safety and the need for better diagnostic procedures, especially in recognizing the varied presentation of appendicitis.
Alice's father, Jake Tapper, played a crucial role in advocating for his daughter's health by calling a hospital administrator. His intervention led to the correct diagnosis and potentially saved Alice's life. This story serves as a reminder for parents and patients to be persistent in seeking appropriate medical care and attention.
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Alice received an abdominal X-ray and ultrasound, revealing a perforated appendix
Alice Tapper, the 15-year-old daughter of CNN journalist Jake Tapper, was admitted to the hospital with low blood pressure, an elevated heart rate, intense abdominal pain, a high white blood cell count, and a fever. Doctors initially ruled out appendicitis because Alice experienced pain throughout her abdomen and could barely jump off the ground. They instead diagnosed her with a viral infection and prescribed Tylenol and a heating pad.
Alice's father, Jake, called the hospital administrator and requested an abdominal X-ray, which revealed no viral infection. Alice also received an ultrasound, which showed that her appendix had ruptured and was leaking toxic fluid that was poisoning her other internal organs. This condition is known as sepsis, which can be life-threatening.
Alice's story is unfortunately not unique, as many children suffer from misdiagnoses that can have severe consequences. The Tapper family is now working with Michigan Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine to create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence in Medicine to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Alice has also written a book about her experience, hoping to empower other children and families who may find themselves in similar situations. She wants to raise awareness about the signs of sepsis and the importance of early detection and treatment.
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The Tapper family is helping Michigan Medicine create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence
Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, was admitted to the hospital in November 2021 with stomach cramping, a low fever, chills, and vomiting. She had low blood pressure, an elevated heart rate, intense abdominal pain, and a high white blood count. Alice's mother asked the doctors to give her daughter a sonogram, but they said it wasn't needed. Her father, Jake, called the hospital administrator and asked for help. Finally, an abdominal X-ray and ultrasound revealed that Alice had received an incorrect diagnosis and was suffering from a perforated appendix that was leaking deadly bacteria into her body. Alice said that she "'almost died'" due to the misdiagnosis, which left her "helpless, hunchbacked, and green."
The Tapper family is now helping Michigan Medicine's Department of Emergency Medicine create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence to ensure that what happened to Alice does not happen to another child. Michigan Medicine is the University of Michigan's academic medical center, where experts from research, patient care, and education come together to make groundbreaking discoveries and create life-changing medicine. The Tapper family has expressed their excitement about joining forces with the University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine to address this issue.
Alice has also written a book about her experience, hoping to empower other children and families visiting the hospital. In an op-ed for CNN, she shared her story and emphasized the preventability of her situation. She said, "I almost died around Thanksgiving last year, and it was entirely preventable."
The Tapper family's advocacy and Alice's courage in sharing her story have inspired advancements in research at Michigan Medicine. Their efforts will undoubtedly contribute to improved diagnostic practices and patient care, ensuring that children and families receive the accurate and timely treatment they deserve.
Dr. Elliot Tapper, a faculty member at Michigan Medicine and an expert in liver disease research, is also making significant contributions to the medical field. His research focuses on improving the quality of life and outcomes for patients with cirrhosis, and he has developed strategies and tools to keep patients out of the hospital and improve their overall well-being.
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Frequently asked questions
Jake Tapper's daughter's name is Alice Tapper.
It is unclear which hospital Alice was admitted to, but it is known that she was transferred to another hospital when her pain intensified.
Alice Tapper was initially diagnosed with a viral infection, but it was later discovered that she had appendicitis.
After her misdiagnosis, Alice Tapper's condition worsened, and she developed sepsis. She underwent emergency surgery and had to spend another week in the hospital after leaving the intensive care unit.
Following his daughter's misdiagnosis, Jake Tapper shared his story on CNN and has been working with Michigan Medicine to create a Center for Diagnostic Excellence in Medicine to improve diagnostic care and prevent future misdiagnoses.
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