A young family was shocked to discover that their 11-day-old son had contracted a cold-like illness.
Chloe Hodgkinson was 22 years old and hails from Haydock. She was going to her GP for an appointment regarding an unrelated illness. Joshua, 11 days, came along.
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On leaving the GP surgery, dad Teejay peered over to look at their newborn – only to notice their baby boy had begun to turn blue.
“This was when our whole world began to fall apart,” the mum explained.
The family received immediate CPR from their GP and noticed a visible rash on Joshua’s skin.
Later, the baby would rush to Whiston Hospital to be diagnosed with sepsis.
“I remember just sitting there with my head in my hands, distressed, thinking that my son was going to die right in front of me,”Chloe said.
The infant had suffered from symptoms of cold and flu for a few days before.
His parents thought he was catching it from Alexis, a one-year-old girl.
“We thought it was nothing more than a slight bug and being around her snuffly nose and cough,”She spoke.
Joshua finally came around just in time for the ambulance to arrive and was then taken to the hospital.
Chloe claims that Joshua was discharged by doctors after a brief stay. They said that Joshua’s blue skin was due to choking on breastmilk.
Teejay, a watchful father, noticed Joshua had a rash on his body. The parents requested that Joshua be examined again.
The medical staff discovered that the baby was no longer breathing.
Joshua was put on assist breathing equipment after the family was taken to a high-alert room.
Chloe said that there were so many cannulas emerging from his tiny body.
“As a newborn, it is difficult to imagine how distressing this must have been for us parents.
“He had a brain scan, X-rays, heart scans and a lumbar puncture which we were not allowed to attend due to it not being a nice sight.”
What are the symptoms of sepsis in children and babies?
Sepsis can lead to damage to the heart, kidneys, brain and lungs. Parents can identify the signs and get their children checked out early to improve their prognosis.
Rapid breathing/shortness in breath
– Cold, mottled, pale skin
– Extremely high or low temperatures
– Bluish lips or skin
– Poor feeding
– Vomiting/Diarrhoea
– Lethargy/difficulty sleeping
– Low or no urine output
– Non-fading rash
“Above all, parents should trust their instincts. If you have any concerns whatsoever that your child may have sepsis, please seek urgent medical attention,”Charity Sepsis Research FEAT said.
She continued, “It’s been a scary time, and I didn’t have the time to reflect on what was happening with me.”
“All I cared about was my baby boy.”
Joshua began to feel better after a week of antibiotics, and round-the clock care.
He was eventually discharged, and hasn’t had any more health problems since.
Chloe said: “It’s scary to think that if we were not at the doctor’s surgery at that point in time, we could have lost our son.
“I’m so thankful I have my cheeky little boy with the world ahead of him in my life.”
Chloe is determined to warn other parents about the harrowing episode so they can recognize signs of sepsis early.
She added: “Newborns are generally sleepy and unable to communicate, it’s so difficult to identify the signs.
“Symptoms of sepsis in infants are seldom discussed.
She continued: “As young mothers, we didn’t know about Sepsis or the signs and symptoms to look for. Teejay and me were only 18 and 21 years old at that time.
“With Joshua, his signs of sepsis came from cold and flu symptoms,”She elaborated.
“He didn’t have a high temp and he wasn’t showing any unusual symptoms. Because newborns are lazy, they don’t tend to have high temperatures.
“I would like to tell parents that you should trust your gut.
“Babies are so unpredictable and it can quickly turn into a situation of life and death.”