Brave mum shares heartbreaking photos of little boy to help other parents avoid their agony
A mother has shared photos of her little boy to help other parents avoid the agony she has been experiencing.
Ryan Lines was already struggling with a runny nose in December.
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The one-year-old developed a fever before his symptoms then escalated into septic shock caused by the Strep A bacteria.
His mother, whose name is Jessica Carnie on Instagram, first shared her story with the Tiny Hearts Education page to make other parents aware of the symptoms.
Now she has revealed that after being in hospital for over 60 days, her little boy underwent surgery to amputate both legs below the knee.
The family is also now preparing for Ryan to undergo further surgeries to remove his fingertips.
Posting on Instagram, she said: “One operation is over, one is pending.
“Ryan is recovering from his below knee amputations. Thank you for all the love we honestly have no words for.”
Tiny Hearts CEO Nikki Jurcutz, who lives in Australia, previously 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).
What are the symptoms of invasive Strep A disease?
According to the NHS, there are four key signs of group strep A to look out for. These are:
- Fever (ie a high temperature above 38°C)
- Severe muscle pain
- Localized muscle tenderness
- Redness at the site of a wound
The invasive version of the disease occurs when the bacteria breach the body’s immune defenses.
This can happen if you are already unwell or have a weakened immune system.
Medics said he was lucky to have survived.
The family lives in Broken Hill, but due to the severity of Ryan’s illness, they were flown to Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital, over 500km away.
They have now set up a GoFundMe page to help with the expenses as they have not returned home yet.
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.”
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https://www.the-sun.com/health/7338852/brave-mum-heartbreaking-photos-little-boy-avoid-agony/ Brave mum shares heartbreaking photos of little boy to help other parents avoid their agony