Michael Rosen, the author and poet, has shared a harrowing account of the night his teenage son Eddie died from meningitis in 1999. In an extract from his new book Getting Better, Rosen describes how he initially dismissed Eddie's headache as a minor ailment, not realising it was a symptom of the deadly infection.
Rosen, then 53, returned home to find his 18-year-old son complaining of a headache. He advised him to take paracetamol and later ibuprofen, and checked for a stiff neck—a classic sign of meningitis—which Eddie denied having. The pair spent the evening discussing Eddie's play, and Rosen read him a riddle from a book. Eddie's final words were the answer: 'your bum'.
During the night, Rosen heard Eddie get up to use the bathroom but fell back asleep. The next morning at 6am, he found Eddie unresponsive, cold to the touch, and with stiff limbs and red stripes under his armpit—all signs of meningococcal septicaemia. Despite calling 999 and following instructions to move Eddie onto his side, Rosen knew his son was gone.
Rosen urges others to share their stories of loss, saying it helps both the teller and listeners. He emphasises the importance of recognising meningitis symptoms, which can include headache, stiff neck, fever, and a distinctive rash. The author's campaign follows his own tragedy, which he says changed his life forever.
