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? 💙

He's still sleeping in bed next to me (woke about 5 inconsolable) but I've noticed this rash has appeared overnight on his back so now I'm spiralling again- he's still asleep so I can't check if it's anywhere else but going to wake him in a minute I think.

His temperature has been stable all night without drugs though so I thought we were getting somewhere 😭

It looks like it is a bumpy rash rather than a non fading one?

Ask a nurse to have a look but it does look like the kind of bumpy rash my son would always get when ill or upset as a baby and toddler. That's a good sign that his temp is stable now

This looks a lot like post viral rash (harmless)- my kids would often get this after illness even if bacterial as a viral infection often occurs alongside it.

It definitely feels bumpy and rough ; it's everywhere now I've undressed him, poor little thing! I've shown the nurse who said she doesn't think it's anything to worry about but will tell the doctors.

Antibiotics can sometimes cause a rash.

Could be a Scarlett fever rash too. I know the Drs will know best but when you say bumpy and everywhere, my thoughts immediately went to SF! Xxx

Thinking of you both. Me and my youngest son are both sepsis survivors.

That is what DS had when he was rushed into hospital with similar symptoms and a non blanching rash and in antibiotics

that started on his chest though not back

it could very well just be reaction to it all

I hope you're both doing ok today.

I was very close to going into sepsis a few years back. I got into IV antibiotics fast enough (just). It took a while to recover completely, but I haven't had any lasting effects from it at all.

We've seen the doctor who is happy that it's not a septic/meningitis rash as it blanches, she seems to think it's as a result of the infection (possibly post viral). He hasn't had a temperature now since 4pm yesterday so they are hoping blood cultures will be back later this evening and we will see what they show. If nothing we might be able to come home tomorrow!

Great to hear this good news . Hope he does get home and you can try to return to normality. It's been a very difficult few days for you all. Best wishes you and family. 💐

This all sounds positive - everything crossed for good news and discharge tomorrow. Hope you're managing to get some rest now.

I'd guessed post viral rash, seen it 100 times with my kids.

I’m shocked that you were sent away on your first visit, I took my 8 week to hospital (he had a fever and was hyperventilating) and they started sepsis treatment without waiting for bloods or anything else as every second counts. And clinical guidance is to start treatment if sepsis is suspected. (As it turned it was just a “normal” infection, so nothing to worry about) .

All I can offer is a huge virtual hug
my Gdaughter came through this and is now 23
You did everything right
Thinking of you all

Hope your little one is ok now x

Sending hugs…

how are you holding on?

At least he's on the pathway now and seems to be improving from your latest post. Thinking of you

Really hope your little one is better. Sending you both love xxx

OP I really hope you and your little one get to go home soon. When DD was born she was prem, but fine. 2 days after she got home she had an unresponsive episode and was rushed to the childrens hospital, where she was given a lumbar puncture. I had genuinely never been so scared so o absolutely get your fear. Fingers crossed for a cheeky bouncy baby once more very soon! Xx

@Americano75 did the post viral rash look like this? Honestly it's absolutely everywhere - 2 doctors have looked at it and said they aren't concerned as it's balancing and bumpy. It just looks frightening!

Blood culture results have come back and they are 'inconclusive', so they repeated the original blood tests and his crp dropped from the 80s on Sunday to 29. Based on that they were happy to send him home on oral antibiotics because his temp and obs have been stable for 24 hours.

All this happened in the 2 hours my husband was there whilst I picked my little girl up - he literally called me and said 'we have been discharged' and I'll be honest I don't feel overly happy at the decision when his rash looks like that. It seems a very quick discharge based on how poorly he was 48 hours ago but on the discharge notes it says that they believe diagnosis is upper respiratory viral infection.

Maybe I'm just worrying too much? Feel like I'm going to be checking him and his temp every 30 mins tonight!

@Americano75 forgot to attach!

It's not posting for some reason!