A MUM has shared heart-breaking photos of her little boy in a warning to other parents over the dangers of Strep A.
An outbreak of the illness has swept the country in the last week, with nine children losing their lives to the bacterial infection.
tiktok/amylaura36Mum Amy Laura shared photos of her little boy just hours before he became unwell[/caption]
tiktok/amylaura36She found her little boy struggling to breathe[/caption]
tiktok/amylaura36He had to be placed on an oxygen mask in hospital[/caption]
Almost all the kids who have died were of primary school age and include seven-year-old Hanna Roap, whose condition started with just a mild cough.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated and tragically Hanna died within 24-hours.
One dad also yesterday told how he took his five-year-old Stella-Lily McCorkindale to A&E three times before she died of Strep A.
Following the tragic deaths, other parents have been sharing their experiences with the illness in order to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms.
Read more on Strep A
Posting to TikTok, Amy Laura showed her little boy having fun on a family day out.
He enjoyed time at a pumpkin patch and had socialised with friends before returning home with his parents.
Amy said his decline, “goes to show what can happen in a few hours”.
She explained that she had put her child to bed after their day out and he had been “absolutely fine”.
But two hours later, they found him struggling to breathe.
She said: “Rushed him to hospital, in the 20 minute drive he’s developed a red sandpaper rash all over his chest and back.
“He wouldn’t stay awake.
“Then his oxygen dropped, his heart rate dropped into the 50s shortly after.
“A nasal cannula didn’t work, so he was put on a oxygen mask and taken into resuscitation.
“He was diagnosed with scarlet fever, strep A and pneumonia.
“I’m just so happy I check my babies at night and caught it early enough for him to be here causing mischief today.”
In the comments section, Amy said that before he started with the laboured breathing, her little boy had only presented with a cough and didn’t have a high temperature.
She added that she had previously thought scarlet fever was an ‘old illness’ until her older children came down with it.
BE AWARE
Other mums have also warned other parents to check their kids for Strep A.
Adele Armstrong said she has never been so scared in her life after her five-year-old son Antonio was struck down by the often-fatal illness.
The 37-year-old said her son’s throat was swollen and bleeding and that docs originally sent him away, claiming he had a viral infection, however days later, it was discovered he had Strep A.
Another mum, Tanya Dawson, said medics missed signs her five-year-old girl was suffering with Strep A.
She said little Lyra was first diagnosed with tonsillitis, which is caused by Group A Strep bacteria, before she was struggling to breathe and rushed to A&E, where medics said she had invasive Group A Strep, where the bacteria gets into the blood stream.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) – also known as Streptococcus pyogenes – is a bacteria that in most cases, will cause mild illnesses.
The signs of Strep A and scarlet fever all parents need to know
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 NHS says that when it comes to scarlet fever, your child will most likely start off with cold-like symptoms.
The signs will include:
high temperature
sore throat
swollen neck glands
rash 12-48 hours after initial symptoms. This usually starts on the tummy and then spreads
white coating on the tongue
red cheeks
This can include sore throats and skin infections, alongside tonsillitis, cellulitis, and scarlet fever, which is flu-like and tends to occur in children – it can be serious if not treated swiftly with antibiotics.
Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria called group A streptococci. These bacteria also cause other respiratory and skin infections such as Strep throat and impetigo (a very contagious infection that starts with blistered skin).
GP Dr Rachel Ward, of Woodlands Medical Centre, Didco, explained: “Most commonly Strep A infections cause throat infections – causing sore throat with fever, or skin infections.
“It also causes scarlet fever where fever and sore throat is accompanied by a rough rash on the body, strawberry looking tongue and red cheeks.
“In more serious invasive infections, people will experience fever, severe aches and possibly muscle tenderness in one area with skin changes.
“There can also be unexplained vomiting and diarrhoea. This is an emergency and you should seek medical help immediately.”
Speaking during Prime Minister’s questions today, Rishi Sunak said the NHS are working hard to make sure parents are aware of the symptoms they need to be on the lookout for.
He added that the illness can be treated with antibiotics and that people should be reassured that this is not a new strain of Strep A.
“There is no reason to believe that it has become more lethal and more resistant to antibiotics, so the most important thing for parents to do is look out for the symptoms and get the treatment that is available for them,” he added.
If you are worried about any of your child’s symptoms, you should visit your GP or call 111.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department.
amylaura36/tiktokAmy Laura’s video has had over 300,000 views on the social media platform[/caption] Read More