AS a parent, it can be hard to know when you actually need to take your child to the doctor, and when you’re overreacting.
Thankfully, an ex-paramedic has shared the warning signs of a serious condition that warrants an immediate trip to A&E.
Epiglottitis symptoms to watch out for
How epiglottitis affects the respiratory system
Epiglottitis is a rare infection of the tissues of the epiglottis – a flap of tissue that sits beneath the tongue at the back of the throat.
It has the potential to be deadly because a swollen epiglottis restricts oxygen supply to the lungs.
In a video shared on the Tiny Hearts Instagram, Nikki Jurcutz, a parent educator, said the medical emergency requires parents and carers to move fast.
“It’s one that should be taken seriously because of how quickly it can close off your child’s airway,” she explained.
Call 999 for an ambulance if you think you or your child has epiglottitis, the NHS says.
These four key symptoms to watch out for:
Excessive drooling
Fever
Severe sore throat
Difficulty swallowing
The NHS advises parents to try to remain calm while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
They should not attempt to examine their child’s throat, place anything inside their mouth, or lay them on their back as this may make it worse.
Parents must also try and keep their child calm so they do not get distressed.
The condition is often caused by a bacterial infection and spreads in the same way a cold or flu virus does.
Epiglottitis is quite rare in the UK, due to the success of the Hib (the bacteria which causes the condition) vaccination of children.
According to the NHS, deaths occur in around one in 100 cases.