A mother's quick thinking is being hailed for saving her three-year-old son's life after a sickness bug he picked up on a family holiday turned out to be a deadly case of sepsis.
Little Albie Snell had returned from a trip to Center Parcs with parents Stacey and Ben when he began vomiting and developed a high temperature. What his parents initially thought was a common stomach bug quickly escalated into a terrifying medical emergency.
'He just wasn't himself,' recalled Stacey, 31, from Braintree, Essex. 'He was lethargic, not eating, and had a temperature that wouldn't come down. As a mum, you just know when something isn't right.'
Despite giving him Calpol, Albie's condition rapidly deteriorated. He developed a distinctive pin-prick rash across his body—a classic and alarming sign of meningitis. His parents immediately rushed him to A&E.
A Race Against Time
Upon arrival at Broomfield Hospital, medical staff acted swiftly. They diagnosed Albie with sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection that can cause organ failure and death if not treated immediately.
'The doctors were absolutely amazing,' Stacey said. 'They told us he was very poorly and that we had caught it just in time. It was absolutely terrifying.'
Albie was put on a strong course of intravenous antibiotics and fluids to fight the infection. After five agonising days in the hospital, he finally turned a corner and was well enough to return home.
A Mother's Warning To Other Parents
Now fully recovered, Albie is back to being a happy and healthy little boy. His family is sharing their story to raise awareness about the signs of sepsis and to urge other parents to always trust their instincts.
'I would tell any parent to never second-guess yourself,' Stacey urged. 'If you think something is wrong with your child, seek help immediately. You know your child better than anyone. That rash was the sign that made us go straight to the hospital, and I truly believe it saved his life.'
Sepsis is a medical emergency. Key symptoms in children include:
- Very high or low temperature
- Lethargy and difficulty waking
- Cold or mottled skin
- Fast breathing or grunting
- A rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass
