A BRAVE mum has shared heartbreaking photos of her little boy in order to warn other parents of the seriousness of Strep A.
In December, Jessica Carnie’s son Ryan started to experience a fever.
Instagram – Tiny Hearts EducationJessica Carnie’s son Ryan had a fever and the mum knew something wasn’t right[/caption]
Instagram – Tiny Hearts EducationShe rushed the little boy to hospital where it was found he had Strep A that had turned to septic shock[/caption]
The youngster went into cardiac arrest and has since had to have both of his legs amputatedInstagram – Tiny Hearts Education
The worried mum said her son quickly became lethargic, limp and had a non-blanching rash.
This is a rash that doesn’t fade under pressure and is often caused by bleeding from small blood vessels in the skin.
Jessica, who has shared her story on Instagram and on the Tiny Hearts Education page, said she knew these were ‘red flag’ symptoms and rushed her little boy to hospital where it was discovered he was battling with Strep A.
CEO of Tiny Hearts, Nikki Jurcutz, who is based in Australia thanked the ‘incredible mum’ for sharing the photos.
“She’s been incredibly selfless and wanted to raise awareness and help keep your little ones safe.”
The bug has claimed the lives of 36 children across the UK and medics have warned that cases of the illness have been spreading globally.
Group A streptococcus (GAS) are a type of bacteria found in the throat and skin.
Invasive Group Strep A occurs if these bacteria get into the bloodstream or other areas where they shouldn’t be.
This can then lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.
Ryan’s infection quickly turned into septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Medics said that the youngster was lucky to have survived and since being taken to hospital, he has had both of his legs amputated due to the damage caused by infection.
During the ordeal, Ryan suffered a cardiac arrest.
Recalling the incident eight weeks later, Jessica said: “For a whole month everyday I remember being told- ‘I’m really sorry he didn’t make it, he went into cardiac arrest and they are doing CPR’.
What are the symptoms of invasive group Strep A disease?
There are four key signs of Group Strep A to watch out for, according to the NHS. These are:
A fever (meaning a high temperature above 38°C)
Severe muscle aches
Localised muscle tenderness
Redness at the site of a wound
The invasive version of the disease happens when the bacteria break through the body’s immune defences.
This can happen if you’re already feeling unwell or have an immune system that’s weakened.
“A whole month of running out and seeing CPR done on my baby screaming and begging for them not to stop, this lasted 10 minutes and then I heard the words ‘we got him back’.
“Ryan has come such long way in just a month, many doctors still amazed that he survived. I still can’t believe a simple strep a infection had turned into severe septic shock syndrome, the mum added.
CEO of Tiny Hearts, Nikki said that as a first aider, she’s had lots of questions about the rise in cases of Strep A
“Strep A is common and usually mild. It becomes very dangerous when the bacteria invades a part of the body such as the blood, brain or heart, like it did with Ryan,” she said.
The expert explained that a fever with other red flag symptoms such as severe muscle aches or tenderness should all ‘set alarm bells off’.
She said: “Look at the number on your thermometer and then assess your child for any critical signs present.
“Being educated about red flags is essential for every parent. The earlier you can identify the signs, the better chance you give your child.”
Ryan had become so unwell, that his fingers and toes had turned black due to the infectionInstagram – Tiny Hearts Education
Instagram – Tiny Hearts EducationJessica shared photos of her son as she wants to help other parents keep their children safe[/caption] Read More