THE heartbroken parents of a little girl who died after complaining of a high fever, sore throat and a rash have urged others to “trust your instincts”.
Vivienne Murphy, 10, died two weeks after complaining of the symptoms in 2019.
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The young Cork girl had already been diagnosed with a viral infection but as it turned out, she had contracted strep A, a type of throat infection.
Due to this, the young girl developed sepsis and sadly passed away, and now her parents are encouraging the general public to educate themselves in the signs of the illness.
Vivienne Murphy’s parents said: “When Vivienne first became unwell and continued to deteriorate, we were told by multiple doctors that she had a viral infection, but it was, in fact, Strep A she was suffering from.
“From there, Vivienne deteriorated very quickly and developed sepsis, which caused her to become extremely unwell. Two weeks after Vivienne had become unwell, she died.
“We are urging parents to make themselves familiar with the signs and symptoms of sepsis. If you have a feeling that something is not right always seek medical attention.
“But most of all, trust your instincts.
If parents feel their child is suffering from something more than a virus, Vivienne’s mum and dad urged them to ask the question, ‘could it be sepsis?’
They added: “If we only knew then what we know now, Vivienne would be alive.
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“If our message can help to save even one child, then sharing our experience, which is extremely hard to do, would have been worth it.”
The HSE has issued a stark warning to parents which highlights the risks of sepsis on young children.
This week is paediatric sepsis awareness week and due to this, the HSE are sharing the symptoms of the deadly illness.
Inviting parents of infants and children to a webinar, they will be addressing any concerns around the signs and symptoms of sepsis in children.
Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of an infection.
In most cases, a full recovery happens but only if it is identified and treated quickly.
If it is not picked up quickly, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
Sepsis is difficult to tell when you have it but the HSE urges the public to “trust your instincts.”
While it is an illness that can affect anyone with an infection, young children are at an increased risk.
The main symptoms of the illness can often be mistaken for something else and can appear differently in adults and children.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS TO WATCH
The HSE is advising parents to remain vigilant when it comes to sepsis.
They are reminding parent to ask “could it be sepsis” if their child has an infection that is not getting better.
The signs and symptoms of sepsis in children are:
- Very fast breathing
- Fits or convulsions
- Mottled skin (irregular colour) bluish or pale
- A rash that does not fade when you press it
- Unusually sleepy and difficult to wake
- Unusually cold when you touch them
- Has had no pee for more than 12 hours
If a child is under five years old, it’s important to seek help if they are not feeding, vomiting repeatedly or dry when you change them – meaning they have not had a wet nappy for at least 12 hours.
Dr Martina Healy, Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine, HSE, said: “One in five patients who develop sepsis will die, but with early recognition and early treatment, this risk will be reduced.
“Anyone with an infection can be at risk of sepsis, even if they are taking antibiotics. However, this does not mean every infection will develop into sepsis.
“We encourage parents and caregivers to make themselves familiar with the signs and symptoms of sepsis.
“If your child is unwell and not getting better, seek medical attention and always ask, ‘could it be sepsis?’”
Recent research has shown that there is high awareness of what sepsis is among the public but much less are aware of the symptoms.
