A mom has taken to social media to issue a stark warning to parents after a spotting a red line on her son's arm, which nearly resulted in a fatal case of sepsis.
Sharing the post on @tinyheartseducation, an Australian parenting Instagram account, the mom told followers told that she was "in two minds" over whether to openly talk about her son's story, but decided to go ahead with it after her husband convinced her to.
She wrote: "A week or so ago the littlest fell over at the zoo. 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 8 yr old boy, however."
"The wounds didn’t look infected- they’d got bigger so I was concerned but they weren’t gunky etc. Yesterday on our way to the beach he showed me his hand. I wasn’t happy as I noticed red tracking down his vein.
"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 recognizing it and getting down ASAP.
"This is blood poisoning/ sepsis. It isn’t something you can “leave” until Monday when the doctors are back in the office."
According to the CDC website, sepsis is "the body's extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection you already have —in your skin, lungs, urinary tract, or somewhere else—triggers a chain reaction throughout your body."
Thankfully, the son of the anonymous mom is doing well after a course of antibiotics. But if your own child or a child you know has a red line running from a wound, you need to get them seen to as soon as possible.
Acquaint yourself with the symptoms of sepsis:The mom explains:
"This red line is called Lymphangitis. This means the infection is in the lymphatic system and it causes red lines from the wound that travel in the direction of the nearest lymph gland.
"If treated quickly, the condition can be mild but if left untreated, complications can occur, and the condition can become very serious. When the infection crosses over into the bloodstream, like it did for this boy, it’s known as sepsis."
While kids are always getting benign little scratches, grazes, and bumps, you may want to make a mental note of the boy's "red line" - it's better to be safe!
