23/09/2025
Thank you for sharing, Amy Elements Centre for Wellbeing. We're so happy and relieved to hear that your little one is on the mend!💚
It's sepsis awareness month and Amy's message reminds us of the important of recognising early signs and symptoms of sepsis and seeking urgent help.
It's the reason we cover this in our Mini First Aid 2-hour baby and child first aid class and why we partner with The UK Sepsis Trust whose resources we share with you. We want to empower patents, grandparents and carers to trust their instincts and act on those early signs and symptoms, being their child's advocate.
🚨important post alert 🚨
I am currently sat by my daughter's bed as she is treated in hospital for sepsis.
The emergency is over - thankfully, and the reason why I am able to take the time to write this important post.
Sadly, this is not her first rodeo; this is her fifth time fighting sepsis in her short time on this planet.
As this is sepsis awareness month, I wanted to take this time to highlight this most recent chapter in our story in the hope that I can help other familes recognise the signs. But also to encourage anyone with sick children / loved ones to remember the importance of trusting that all important gut instinct that we all have. And to use that instinct to advocate on behalf of them.
On Saturday morning past, my daughter woke with a sore and stiff neck. Because she has fought meningitis previously, my initial instinct was to check her temperature. It wasn't overly elevated, but combined with a stiff neck, I wasn't prepared to take any chances.
I didn't even pause to let the dogs out to wee, knowing the importance of every minute. And at 6AM, we were hotfooting up the M90 to A and E, where she was checked over and discharged after her behaviour improved after some calpol.
Whilst her humour was good over the course of the day, once evening came, I had noted physical changes that I wasn't happy with; a rapidly expanding rash amongst others including a deterioration in her behaviour.
Another wait in A and E before being admitted to Paeds; CT scans, IV antibiotics and fluids. It was a long and scary night.
She is well on the mend a few days on - though I suspect we've another few nights courtesy of NHS Fife - and she is returning to her wonderfully bubbly and vibrant self. It is always so scary to see her beautiful little light subdued.
I am excited about getting home and back to normality but in the meantime, I am grateful for that wonderful gut instinct of mine.... and this is what I wanted to take a few moments to share:
Please, please, PLEASE always trust your gut. Remember that clinical evidence is ONLY a piece of the picture (albeit a very important one). No one knows your child/ loved one more than you do. If there is any change that you are simply not happy with, you are more than within your rights to get that checked.
Thankfully, our story has always ended well. And it will this time too. My strong and resilient little woman has fought and continues to fight this ravaging illness and pulled through. She bears no significant lasting effects; physical nor psychological (aside from a slight needle phobia that puts my professional skills to the test). She - we - were and are extremely lucky. We will remain eternally grateful to the amazing staff at NHS Fife and NHS Lothian who have helped us over the years - clinical and otherwise - and will never forget and be able to thank enough the friend and family support networks who helped pull our family through tremendously challenging times.
This time the award goes to the amazing Lowe crew. My husband - who was living the dream playing golf in Spain at the time - had to get an urgent flight home on in the early hours of Sunday morning and could only get as far as Prestwick.
Step in the Lowe family. Taxi driver Martin who drove to pick him up, counsellors Mel and Hannah who tag teamed to support one each of my girls whilst I was in a horrible FREEZE state in the A and E children’s waiting area and had to take a moment (many moments actually) to knock myself out of it. And not forgetting Z and Adam who have offered their companionship, love and home to my other little woman who was out on a limb whilst I stayed in hospital with Sosi and waited on my husband returning from Spain. Where would we be without them on this occasion. Or any occasion. The best friends one could ask for.
To say that I never want another family to experience what we went through is an understatement. And if this post helps just one or two families to recognise the signs of such a terrible condition, I will be content.
Here are the main signs of sepsis, though of course it is hugely important to say that these are also symptoms of many less serious conditions (taken from NHS Inform):
Sepsis:
🚨 feeling dizzy or faint
🚨 a change in mental state – like confusion or
🚨 disorientation
🚨 diarrhoea
🚨 nausea and vomiting
🚨 slurred speech
🚨 severe muscle pain
🚨 severe breathlessness
🚨 less urine production than normal – for example, not urinating for a day
Symptoms may not occur in this order. Nor may all symptoms be present.
If in doubt, please, please don’t delay. Trust your instinct. And TRUST YOUR VOICE. Call your GP or 999.
Those minutes may be crucial.
Thank you for reading. And if it feels appropriate, please share. Amy x
As an aside: all yoga classes ARE ON. I am rescheduling the majority of my 1:1 work at the moment. But if you haven’t heard from me by now,please assume that our session is on.
