Handhold please - DS aged 1 been admitted to hospital with suspected sepsis

[miniworry]

Mumsnet got me through the darkest moments when my DS caught meningitis at 4 weeks old and I'm back asking for another handhold as I currently hold him on my lap sleeping in hospital with suspected sepsis 😢

He has been unwell with a temperature since Friday- but today he was really unhappy and despite a 39 temp his hands and feet looked blue and were cold. I took him to our children's urgent care this afternoon who looked in his ears and chest and said double infection and prescribed antibiotics.

Put him to bed with a temp of 38.9 and some Nurofen at 7:30pm. 9:30pm he wakes roaring in pain, and when I pick him up he is freezing. Took his temp in both ears and it was 34.5. Mottled skin on tummy and inconsolable alongside sucking in of chest. I called 111 who said take straight back to A&E as I could get him there quicker than an ambulance. Bloods done extremely quick and sepsis pathway was started straight away based on the blood gas results.

We were then blue lighted about 12am to the children's hospital- he has been put on iv antibiotics and fluids and bloods show raised infection markers so it's now a case of finding where the infection is.

I'm so frightened- I've never seen him this way; he has never ever screamed solidly for 4 hours like that, and being back here is bringing everything back from his meningitis days here.

Please could anyone share some positive stories or even just let me know what they're up to in these wee hours to keep me afloat and give me something else to think about? 💙

sending lots of love and hugs to you op. You’ve absolutely done the right thing getting to hospital so quickly and now your little baby is getting the best care.
I agree that everything feels magnified at night. Terrifying time for you, but you will get through this ❤️

Awake with a dog who needed a pitch dark poo. Annoyingly, she’s now snoring on the bed, whilst my body now thinks it’s time to wake up!

anyway, I’m here OP. You did the best thing for your little chap, you trusted your gut and got him the help he needed, bless his little heart. Hope you’re getting some rest now xx

Poor baby, hope he's ok , deffo in the best place.
it's the scariest thing ever being a mum isnt it 🤞💓. Just feeding my 3 month old baby currently x

Hand hold, OP. You are in the best place you can be for your son. I know it feels terrifying so sending a massive hug.

Sending heaps of love and prayers your way OP. You did so well to get dc into hospital quickly xx

Sending thoughts to you. Have you got anything with you e.g. charger, clothes?

Aroha from NZ. Half a world away I know but in these circumstances- what is the old saying, A worry shared is a worry halved? Let’s hope so m’dear. Wishing you and your precious little one a return to wellness very soon. xx

I'm up because my cat patted my foot to tell me the food bowls are empty. Sending you healing thoughts OP, I know how utterly anxious and helpless you must be feeling. But it sounds like the hospital are 'on it' so to speak - is your son asleep now?

I too have used mumsnet in the wee small hours - not so much now but years ago when my DC were small and also through anxious times, I didn't always post but more often just read topics, there was something reassuring in knowing there were other people up at the same time, if that makes sense?

Hope you may manage to get forty winks/a nap and that you hear an update soon

Sending love & praying for baby. Stay strong. Xxx

Awake with a stinky cold (thanks son). Your precious baby roaring is a good sign, much better than quiet and floppy. I had pneumonia a few years back and honestly once they identified the strain and put me on the right antibiotics I vastly improved within 24 hours.

I hope your wee one bounces back soon and you’re home again with your family x

Hugs to you and your dc x

Hang in there. Praying for you both.

Sending you both love and wishing your little one a speedy recovery x

Wishing for a speedy recovery xx

Sending hopes for a speedy recovery. He’s in the best place. DD was in hospital when newly turned 1 for RSV/bronchiolitis. The belly breathing you described is just so scary, you absolutely did the right thing taking him in. As another person above said, if you’re in a solo room that probably means he’s more stable and needs rest while the meds kick in. Anyway, here’s a hand hold x

Gosh OP, I’m so sorry to read your post. I don’t have any experience of this nature, but couldn’t pass by without sending love & best wishes that the little one gets back to good health soon.
You’re in the best place. Don’t be afraid to ask for second opinions if you doubt anything, or ask questions. You’re well within your rights on both of those points x

Oh you poor thing, it's terrifying and shit and unfair and you will be exhausted too. That's so unlucky after he's been through meningitis too. You must feel like you can't catch a break.

Sending lots of good vibes and hoping for a quick recovery. My LO bounced back very quickly from sepsis, definitely affected me more!

Kids get sick very quickly, but they bounce back equally quickly. He’s in the right place, getting tye treatment he needs.

We've been there too, OP. DD1 had GBS sepsis at 23hrs old and spent two weeks in NICU. I agree with @dottycat123 that once they got the cultures back and could tweak the antibiotics combo, everything seemed to start working so fast, but it was such a hard time for those first 48hrs. You are in the best place and well done for spotting that things were turning worse - DD1s sepsis was also identified as a result of mottled skin / low temp (which the dr said is a less frequent presentation than a very high temp). Sending you so much best wishes and hope that he starts to improve today now that he's under specialist care. 💐

Earache can be agony. Hopefully the antibiotics will work quickly and he'll start feeling better soon.

Thinking of you. You've done the right thing and got help quickly.

I really hope he has settled now and the morning brings good news

We are all right here, and praying for you both op 🙏🏼

Thinking of you both this morning and hoping for answers and improvement.

A friend's little boy had sepsis at almost exactly the same age, following another illness. He was very poorly for a little while, and we were all terrified for them, but he is now the picture of health at 3 years old. Sending lots of love. 💙