Mum’s warning after meningitis outbreak

Mum’s warning after meningitis outbreak

4 July 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

THE mother of a six year-old boy, who contracted meningitis during a recent outbreak in Downpatrick, has warned other parents that symptoms of the disease may not be obvious.

Shauna Clarke’s six year-old son Callum was the second pupil at Our Lady and St. Patrick’s Primary School to be diagnosed with meningococcal infection last week.

A third child, who attends school in Legamaddy, has since been treated for the infection.

Callum has since made a full recovery from the illness, which doctors warned Shauna could have been fatal without her own quick intervention.

Shauna has now urged other parents to be aware that symptoms of the disease vary with Callum first showing signs of the disease when he complained of a sore eye.

She said he was first treated for conjunctivitis in his eye last Friday, but within hours his condition has deteriorated with a soaring temperature and complaints of stomach pains.

Shauna said a small bruise also appeared on Callum’s chest at this time, which she said did not seem like a typical meningitis rash, but turned out to be a sign that he was suffering from the deadly illness.

“Firstly, I had no idea that the sore eye was a sign that he was so ill,” she said.

“Secondly, the bruise on his chest did not seem like a rash although it was very unusual. It was such a frightening experience that I hope other parents will do as I did and trust their own instincts if they feel something is really wrong.”

Shauna is the second parent at the heart of the meningitis scare to warn Down Recorder readers of the sometimes unusual symptoms of the disease.

Last week, another mother, whose daughter became dangerously ill with the infection last week, said her child had initially complained of a sore ankle, and later developed the tell-tale meningcoccal rash on that ankle.

Shauna Clarke said she was grateful for the care and attention Callum had received during his treatment for the disease at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

“Staff told me several times that the illness could have been fatal, but for my own instinct that something was badly wrong,” she said.

“It was because of that that we were able to get him treated swiftly.

“Callum is such a a happy wee pleasant fella, nobody could believe it happened to him.

“It has given us such a fright and I hope my story will help other parents who are ever concerned about their child’s health.”