WHEN little Ryan Lines got a sore throat and runny nose just under a year ago, his parents weren’t initially too concerned.
But it wasn’t long before the then 13-month-old was rushed to hospital after a group A Streptococcus infection – known as Strep A – sent him into septic shock.
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Ryan was flown from his home in the outback town of Broken Hill in Australia to the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The tot suffered extensive blood clotting in his hands and lower legs, causing the tissue there to die.
He had to have both legs and some of his fingers amputated in order to save his life.
Ryan’s symptoms before he was hospitalised hadn’t appeared too worrisome.
A month after his first birthday, he woke up with a snotty nose, but still seemed his usual happy self, his mum Jess Lines told Sepsis Alliance.
She went on: “By that afternoon he was having slight temperatures and was starting to not be himself, he was very clingy and wimping, quiet dazed”.
And though he had been “walking for a few months”, the youngster wasn’t able to bear his own weight.
Little Ryan also experience some pain is his muscles and appeared to be peeing less.
His parents took him to hospital, only to be told he was teething or had a virus and should be released.
“The next morning we noticed Ryan still wasn’t improving, so we went back and demanded more tests,” his mum recalled.
“Before we knew it, we were flown out on a plane to nearest major city as our little boy had declined so fast.”
The toddler went into cardiac arrest and underwent CPR but pulled through. But he sustained lasting damage to his limbs.
Jess told ABC News: “It’s crazy to me to think that he just had a simple runny nose and sore throat and it advanced into something so serious.”
His parents are now calling on parents of other young children to trust their gut if they feel like something is wrong and to know the signs of sepsis.
Multiple surgeries later, Jess said Ryan is a fairly typical “cheeky” toddler.
Overall, she said her baby boy – now almost two – is doing “pretty good”.
“He has his moments where he’s a little bit frustrated but he’s [still] a cheeky nearly two-year-old,” Jess said.
Ryan now has to rely on prosthetics for his legs, which his parents are trying to get him used to.
“He’s not walking with them yet, but he is trying to take movements with them, so it’ll just be a time thing to see when he can actually do that and when he gets his strength back,” she said.
The tot recently had a procedure to address scarring on his hand and is due to return to hospital in six months to have X-rays done on his legs to assess when the bone will need to be shaved back.
Jess said Ryan likely has a “forever journey” ahead of him, adding that he’ll probably need the help of a wheelchair at some point.
The family also received $130,000 (£67,500) in donations through a GoFundMe to help the almost-two-year-old in his recovery.
What is Strep A?
Strep A is a common type of bacteria that lots of us carry in our skin and throats, which doesn’t always result in illness.
It can, however, cause infections, some mild and some more serious, including strep throat, tonsillitis and scarlet fever.
The most serious infections arise from a strain called invasive group A strep, known as iGAS.
They happen if bacteria get into parts of the body where they’re not usually found, like the lungs or bloodstream.
Though iGAS infections remain uncommon, there was a jump in cases in the UK in late 2022, particularly in children under 10.
Sadly, 48 children died of Strep A between September 2022 and May 2023.
Common symptoms of a Strep A infection include:
- flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, swollen glands or an aching body
- sore throat (common with strep throat or tonsillitis)
- a rash that feels rough, like sandpaper (scarlet fever)
- scabs and sores (impetigo)
- pain and swelling (cellulitis)
- severe muscle aches
- nausea and vomiting
The NHS notes that you should get an urgent GP appointment if:
- your child is unwell and is getting worse
- your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
- your child has fewer wet nappies than usual or is peeing less than usual, or shows other signs of dehydration
- your baby is under three months and has a temperature of 38C, or is three to six months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
- your child is very tired or irritable
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection; the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body’s tissues and organs.
It can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and sometimes death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly.
Sepsis always starts with an infection, and can be triggered by any infection including chest infections and UTIs.
But it’s not known why some people develop sepsis in response to these common infections whereas others don’t.
How to spot sepsis in children
Your little one may have sepsis if:
- they’re breathing very fast
- their skin looks mottled, bluish or pale
- they have a rash that doesn’t fade when you press it
- they’re lethargic and difficult to wake up
- they feel abnormally cold to the touch
- they have a ‘fit’ or start convulsing
For children under the age of five, red flag signs include :
- not feeding
- vomiting repeatedly
- not peeing for 12 hours
You should get urgent help if your little one is experiencing these symptoms.
Source: The UK Sepsis Trust
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