A mum has issued a stark warning to parents after her eight-year-old contracted sepsis after falling at the zoo.
The UK woman said she was in “two minds” about whether she should share her son’s story, but later on decided to do so to ensure other parents were aware of the “sign” of a serious infection.
“I am sure there are other parents who wouldn't know either,” she wrote in her original Facebook post. “The only reason I knew is because it had happened to a friend's son two years ago and she had shared.”
The mum’s warning was posted alongside a photo of her son’s arm, which was covered in a bandage with a red line merging from it.
The original post has since been deleted, but Australian group Tiny Hearts Education, chose to re-share the photo to their social media pages in order to reach as many parents as possible.
“A week or so ago the littlest fell over at the zoo,” the mum wrote.
“He took quite a bashing but once we got home I cleaned him up. I rang school on Farm school day to make sure he washed his hands after digging and I tried hard to ensure it was kept clean (hand and elbow). He's an eight-year-old boy, however.
The mum explained that while the wounds didn't look infected or 'gunky', they had gotten bigger.
“I wasn't happy as I as I noticed red tracking down his vein,” the concerned mum said. “I then checked his elbow – the same.” “I took him down to the out of hours feeling a bit silly but when the doctor saw it he commended me on recognising it and getting down ASAP.”
The mum then found out that her son had “blood poisoning/sepsis” and he was immediately treated with antibiotics, which fortunately worked on her child.
“If you spot this red line running from a wound get your child is seen straight away,” she urged. “It isn't something you can 'leave' until Monday when the doctors are back in the office.”