Following the news that six children have now died nationally after becoming ill with Strep A infections, a Cornish mother is warning parents to keep in mind the associated link with sepsis.
Melissa Mead is a long-standing campaigner for sepsis awareness following the death of her young son William in 2014, shortly after his first birthday and 11 days before Christmas.
He died from sepsis caused by Invasive Strep A.
Group A Streptococcus (Group A Strep or Strep A) is a bacteria that can cause many different infections.
It is commonly found in the throat and on the skin, and some people have no symptoms, but it can cause minor illnesses through to more serious ones such as scarlet fever – and as has tragically been the case in other parts of the country recently, can be fatal.
READ MORE: What to do if you think your child has Strep A infection and when to see a doctor
Melissa, who was living in Penryn at the time of William's death, wrote about complication risk on her social media awareness page, saying: "Following the news about the children becoming seriously unwell with Strep A infections, and whilst I feel it’s good to highlight infections, I sit here wondering why the associated risk of sepsis is not being highlighted, which is the biggest risk of Invasive Strep A.
“William had invasive strep A which caused sepsis.
“The only piece of advice I could give, apart from watching out for these symptoms, is that YOU as the parent of a child feel that something is just not right. Then YOU are right.
“Don’t doubt yourself. Don’t hesitate. Seek advice and support.”
Melissa, now a campaigner for the UK Sepsis Trust, was made an MBE in 2019 New Year’s Honours List for her work in raising awareness both with the public and also in healthcare settings.
Among her work has been the creation of a checklist leaflet listing all the ‘amber’ and ‘red’ warning signs of sepsis – and when to seek medical help.
You can find these below and as a larger image at the top of the page.
William’s fatal sepsis infection was dismissed as a common cough by call handlers, with a subsequent report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) finding failings in the NHS 111 system at that time.
What are the symptoms of Strep A?
The bacteria can be found in the throat and on the skin and people may carry it without displaying any symptoms.
It can live in throats and on hands for long enough to allow easy spread between people through sneezing, kissing and skin contact.
Invasive Strep A can cause further complications.
Symptoms include:
-high fever
-severe muscle aches
-localised muscle tenderness
-redness at the site of a wound
Anyone with high fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one area of the body and unexplained vomiting or diarrhoea should call NHS 111 and seek medical help immediately.
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