Mother-of-22 Sue Radford has shared her shock after her grandson Chester was diagnosed with Strep A.
Her daughter Millie, 21, and who lives in Morecambe, Lancashire, revealed on Saturday that her son Chester, who was born in February, had Strep A.
Millie, who is Sue and her husband Noel’s third daughter, claimed an ‘extremely rude’ doctor misdiagnosed Chester’s condition for conjunctivitis on Friday, as she shared a heart-breaking picture of her son looking very poorly.
Reacting to the news in her Instagram story, Sue raised awareness on the symptoms of the disease.
Sue Radford’s daughter Millie, from Morecambe, posted on Instagram on Saturday to share the news that her son Chester, who is 11-months-old, had Strep A
She said she: ‘Got the shock of my life early this morning getting woken up by Millie worried sick about Chester.
‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing – his nose pouring with blood and him looking so poorly.
To say we feel let down by this doctor that saw Chester at midnight on Friday is an understatement with how serious Strep A is.
This could have been so much worse. Thank God for the amazing team at RLI (Royal Lancaster Infirmary).’
Sue said her Chester, pictured with one of his siblings, was diagnosed by an ‘extremely rude’ doctor at midnight on Friday
With nose bleeds now a symptom of the virus, Sue told mothers and fathers to ‘follow your instincts’ and check out your children
Millie was ‘absolutely disgusted’ doctors had mis-diagnosed Chester after telling her that he had conjunctivitis. Pictured: Sue and her husband Noel with their impressive brood during a trip to Disney World in September
With nose bleeds now a symptom of the virus, Sue told mothers and fathers to ‘follow your instincts’ and check out your children.
What are the symptoms of Strep A? How does it spread? And is it the same as scarlet fever? Everything you need to know about the killer bug sweeping Britain
What is Strip A?
Group A Streptococcus (Group A Strep or Strep A) bacteria can cause many different infections.
The bacteria are commonly found in the throat and on the skin, and some people have no symptoms.
Infections caused by Strep A range from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases.
They include the skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat.
While the vast majority of infections are relatively mild, sometimes the bacteria cause an illness called invasive Group A Streptococcal disease.
What is invasive Group A Streptococcal disease?
Invasive Group A Strep disease is sometimes a life-threatening infection in which the bacteria have invaded parts of the body, such as the blood, deep muscle or lungs.
Two of the most severe, but rare, forms of invasive disease are necrotising fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
Necrotising fasciitis is also known as the ‘flesh-eating disease’ and can occur if a wound gets infected.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a rapidly progressing infection causing low blood pressure/shock and damage to organs such as the kidneys, liver and lungs.
This type of toxic shock has a high death rate.
READ MAILONLINE’S FULL Q&A ON STREP A.
Millie said she was ‘absolutely disgusted’ doctors had mis-diagnosed Chester after telling her that he had conjunctivitis.
She added: ‘I had to book an emergency doctors’ appointment for him Friday midnight – the doctor being extremely rude,’ she wrote on her Instagram stories.
‘On the phone to his daughter while “checking my son over” all for him to say, “Yes it’s just conjunctivitis'” which is correct but I said I think he has Strep A – he’s suffering with his throat and there’s a clear obvious red rash all over his face. He still refused to swap Chester.’
On Saturday morning at 5am Millie found Chester’s pillow and face covered in blood from a nose bleed.
‘This nose bleed has happened because he has strep A – it’s been that aggressive in his throat, his face has swollen up, his ears are inflamed and the pressure it’s been causing around his face has left him with a pouring nose bleed,’ she continued.
The Strep A bacteria can be life-threatening and lead to scarlet fever, which was rife in the Victorian era.
Strep A, medically known as Group A Streptococcus or Group A Strep, are bacteria that cause a range of infections, including strep throat, tonsillitis and impetigo — a skin infection. It can also cause scarlet fever.
The bacteria, which can cause no symptoms, can be found in the throat, skin and respiratory tract of those infected.
While the vast majority of Strep A infections are relatively mild, sometimes the bug can lead to the potentially life-threatening rheumatic fever if it is untreated.
The bacteria can, in exceptionally rare cases, cause a deadly illness called invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS).
READ MORE
Another THREE kids die of Strep A in UK as death toll hits 19 and pharmacists get power to prescribe alternative antibiotics because of drug shortage
Strep A hits Europe: Health chiefs warn of spike in children becoming seriously ill with usually-mild bug in wake of Covid
The unusual Strep A symptom EVERY parent ‘should look for’: Four-year-old girl whose fight against a bug tugged at nation’s heartstrings suffered pain in one part of body before being whisked to hospital
.