Mum’s swift action saved her son from deadly blood poisoning

Thanks to another parent sharing their experience, Alexandra knew exactly what to do when her son got sepsis.

When Alexandra’s eight-year-old son recently suffered from blood poisoning, she decided to post her experience on Facebook to help raise awareness. While it’s something we all know about, not many of us have actually seen it in action. I certainly haven’t, and I wouldn’t have known what to do if it happened to my child.

In fact, it was Alexandra’s husband who convinced her to post their story. “He said if I hadn’t been here, he wouldn’t have realised,” she says. “I am sure there are other parents who wouldn’t either and the only reason I knew is that it had happened to a friend’s son two years ago, and she had shared.”

Initially, Alexandra’s son fell over at the zoo. His parents got him home, cleaned him up and all was well. “I rang school on Farm School Day to make sure he washed his hands after digging and I tried hard to ensure it was kept clean (hand and elbow).”

Of course, this was not so easy for a young and active boy, but the wounds didn’t look infected or gunky. They did, however, look bigger, which caused Alexandra some concern.

Thin red line

“Yesterday on our way to the beach, he showed me his hand,” says Alexandra. “I wasn’t happy as I noticed red tracking down his vein. I then checked his elbow – the same. I took him down to the out-of-hours feeling a bit silly but when the doctor saw it he commended me on recognising it and getting down as soon as possible.”

Alexandra’s son developed blood poisoning or sepsis, which needed to be treated immediately. “It isn’t something you can “leave” until Monday when the doctors are back in the office,” she says.

The doctor sent Alexandra straight off to get antibiotics. She was required to give them to her son in the pharmacy, there and then, and was also told to go to the hospital in 48 hours if it carried on moving down the vein. Luckily, it seemed to stop and the boy is now well on the road to recovery. “Thankfully the antibiotics are working and he is well in himself!” says Alexandra.

Spread the word

Alexandra’s post received an enormous response with nearly a hundred comments of support and thanks. Readers were not only shocked to hear of the experience, but they were also grateful that she made it public as a warning to others.

One reader, wrote: “You and Andy were so right to share this. Sepsis is a silent killer that most of know nothing about. This is what antibiotics are for.”

“Well done to you for getting it checked and for highlighting it,” said another. 

“Any break in the skin can cause this, it once happened to me after a wasp sting,” commented another. “Well done for sharing and raising awareness.”

Meanwhile, another parent said that while she knew about the red line, it never occurred to her that it might happen to her kids.

This is exactly why Alexandra made her story known to other parents and caregivers. Blood poisoning happens so quickly and she stresses the importance of taking immediate action if it does. “If you spot this red line running from a wound along the vein get yourself or your child seen straightaway,” she says. “Hopefully my post might help someone the way my friend’s post from two years ago helped me.”