Brave mum shares heartbreaking photos of her baby boy to help other parents keep their kids safe

A BRAVE mom has shared heartbreaking photos of her little boy to warn other parents about the dangers of Strep A.

In December, Jessica Carnie’s son Ryan developed a fever.

5

5

5

The concerned mum said her son quickly became lethargic and limp and has a non-fading rash – one that doesn’t fade under pressure.

Jessica, who shared her story on Instagram and on the Tiny Hearts Education page, said she knew these were “red flag” symptoms and took her little boy to the hospital, where doctors revealed he was fighting Strep A fights.

Australia-based Tiny Hearts CEO Nikki Jurcutz thanked the “incredible mom” for sharing the photos.

“She was incredibly selfless and wanted to raise awareness and help keep your little ones safe.”

It comes as at least 36 children across the UK have died this winter from invasive group Strep A – a serious disease that allows the bacteria to enter the bloodstream.

In rare cases, it can trigger serious illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.

In the case of little Ryan, his infection quickly turned into sepsis, causing septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Medics said he was lucky to have survived.

But when sepsis ravaged his small body, damage caused by the infection caused doctors to have to amputate his legs.

During the ordeal, Ryan went into cardiac arrest.

Recalling the incident eight weeks later, Jessica said, “Every day for a month I was told, ‘I’m really sorry he couldn’t make it, he went into cardiac arrest and they’re doing CPR.’

“A whole month of running and seeing my baby being resuscitated, screaming and begging for it not to stop, that lasted 10 minutes and then I heard the words, ‘We got him back ‘.

“Ryan has come so far in just one month that many doctors are still amazed that he survived.

“I still can’t believe a simple strep infection turned into severe septic shock syndrome,” she added.

Tiny Hearts CEO Nikki said that as a first responder, she had many questions about the rise in Strep A cases.

“Strep A is common and usually mild. It becomes very dangerous when the bacteria enters any part of the body like the blood, brain or heart, as Ryan did,” she said.

The expert explained that a fever, along with other warning symptoms such as severe muscle pain or tenderness, should set everyone’s “alarm bells ringing”.

She added: “Look at the number on your thermometer and assess your child for any critical signs.

“Being educated about red flags is essential for all parents. The sooner you can spot the signs, the better chance you give your child.”

5

5