Borough mums in meningitis appeal

Buy photos » Tiff Wall and her two sons - Theo (who was struck down by meningitis) and Ollie. 07.012.040.sol.nc1 www.buyphotos247.com

THE WORDS meningitis and rash are synonymous with one another.

But two Solihull mums are making an urgent appeal for people to look out for the other vital signs of the killer disease which could save their children's lives.

Liz Sloan's four-year-old son Callum and tiny three-week-old baby Evie were both struck down by meningitis - as was Tiff Wall's three-year-old son Theo.

Evie and Theo had no sign of a rash while Callum only developed one as his condition got worse.

What they did have in common is they all were displaying most, if not all, of the tell-tale signs of meningitis - tired and lethargic, high temperature, sensitivity to light, in pain when touched and rapid breathing.

And now the mums - whose children have all made a full recovery apart from Callum who has been left with slight hearing loss in one ear and a heart murmur - have joined forces to urge parents and carers across the borough not to ignore any of these symptoms.

"The doctors told me Callum probably had tonsillitis so to give him his antibiotics and put him to bed, but when I got home I put him under the kitchen light and it really hurt his eyes so I took off his top and saw just one tiny rash spot," said Liz, who lives in Chadwick End with her husband Chris, Callum, Evie and other daughter Olivia.

"By the time I got him to the doctors the rash was getting worse and worse so the doctor called 999 and he was rushed to hospital.

"They said if I had put him to bed there was every chance he'd have died."

Six months later Liz's baby daughter Evie became ill, had a temperature, cried every time she was touched and developed strange rapid breathing.

"I just knew something was seriously wrong so I rushed her to hospital and thankfully they caught it in time," added Liz.

Both Callum and Evie were in hospital for two weeks.

And despite being fit and well now, Liz knows things could've been so different.

"If I hadn't taken them to hospital when I did there's every chance they could have died or have serious after-effects," she added.

Tiff Wall's story was very similar.

Her son Theo had been back and forwards to the doctors for four days before his meningitis was diagnosed and treated.

In Theo's case there were a number of valid reasons for it taking so long.

But mum Tiff is desperate to spread the message that just looking for a rash is not the best way to protect your children from the killer disease.

"We feel blessed that Theo is OK," said the former nurse who lives with her husband Jon and other son Ollie, six, in Solihull.

"The thing every parent looks out for with children is a rash, but Theo didn't have one.

"Thankfully I knew he was ill from his other symptoms and kept on taking him to the doctors and hospital - but if I hadn't spotted those symptoms then who knows."

* The Meningitis Trust has launched a new campaign - Don’t Wait for a Rash - and is urging parents and carers to make themselves aware of the other symptoms of the killer disease.

A new series of signs and symptoms cards have been printed to make identification easier and there is also a free app to download for your mobile.

Visit www.meningitis-trust.org, or call its freephone helpline on 0800 028 18 28 and request information or a free signs and symptoms card.