Shock

Jumbo156

HI
My little son who is 5 weeks old was crying constantly last Sunday week night/monday morning. We thought it was just colic or something similar. I went to work but my wife took his temperature and it was 38 degrees, high but nothing over the top.
For some reason she just didn't like the sound of his crying so she took him to our local GP.
He had a look at him, thought that there was nothing wrong, but because the little fella was so young asked my wife to take him to temple street.

In we went, still thinking maybe a cold or something.
They took chest xrays, stomach xrays and tested everything else.
Still nothing, the doctor in A&E then called for the A&E consultant who couldn't find anything wrong either.

He however told us that he was going to do a lumber punch anyway just to rule out meningitis, but he was almost sure that he hadn't got it.
Shock!, the test came back positive, our little fella had meningitis!
They started him straight away on antibiotics. They didn't know if it was viral or bacterial but they assumed the worse, bacterial, and proceeded with the treatment.

Results from the cultures came back on wedneday, he has pneumococial meningitis, but they are almost certain that they caught it in time and the little fella is now being allowed home every day after his antibiotics, to return in the evening. He should be out next tuesday for good.
He had a brain scan last Thursday and all was perfect, thank god.

Just thought i would share this and just to say, never think that you are being a neurotic parent by bringing your child to a doctor( as my wife thought she originally was) This saved his life.

LorDar

Jumbo156 - you just gave me major shivers! Glad to hear it all worked out well! Best of luck to you all!

Dfens

I'm so glad to hear that your wife acted on her gut instinct & that the A&E doctor ran the test anyway as matter of procedure just to rule it out dispite thinking that it would be negative. You've had a close call, someone special is looking over your little one. Best of luck to you all for the future.

Dades

Wow - fair play indeed for pursuing the issue.

Hope the little critter makes a full recovery!

Jumbo156

Dfens wrote: »

I'm so glad to hear that your wife acted on her gut instinct & that the A&E doctor ran the test anyway as matter of procedure just to rule it out dispite thinking that it would be negative. You've had a close call, someone special is looking over your little one. Best of luck to you all for the future.

Strangely enough, My Mum died 7 years ago last thursday and I strongly believe that she was looking down on us all..

Quackles

Scary, scary, scary.. Will definitely bear that in mind the next time I'm questioning whether or not to bring my kiddos to the doctor. I'm the original neurotic mammy! I'm so glad everything is looking up for your baby, meningitis would be a nightmare at any time, but particularly so in one so young.

livvy

Mother's instincts I hope your baby has a speedy recovery.

tbaymusicman

that child clearly has someone watching over him/her :D

jeni

happy to hear it turned out there is nothing better than a mothers instinct

di11on

Yikes... that's a scare alright!

Kudos to the doctor for being vigilant/diligent.

I have a question - in hindsight... was it really obvious there was something out of the ordinary wrong with your child? Was the crying that different? It's probably a difficult one to answer. I suppose I'm wondering if the same happened to us... would we recognise it...

Jumbo156

As he was only 4 weeks old it's hard to say. but he was a very content baby from the time he was born.
It was just the Sunday Night/Monday morning he was inconsoleable, no matter what we did, this was what made us wonder just a little bit if there was something wrong.

The crying was definitely different, as if he was in pain, which I believe he must have been as the headache seemingly would have been horrendous.

The little battler is getting out on Monday, back to sleepless nights , but I swear I will never complain again ( until next week anyway)

Brian

Crea

Brilliant to hear that your son is recovering so well.
It's great that your wife went with her instincts, 5 weeks and she's already an expert:D

tallaght01

Any kiddie 3 months or under with a temperature has meningitis until proven otherwise.

It's a very important message that has never successfully been disseminated into the community.

Pneumococcal meningitis is a HORRIBLE meningitis to get if you don't catch it early.

Glad to hear you guys got through this on 1 piece

Jumbo156

Hi All

It's a year to the day that the little fella was diagnosed with meningitis.
He is now 1 year and a month and the most sturdy and happiest baby.
There is absolutely no side effects for which we are so grateful.
This time last year we honestly didn't think that he would see his first birthday.
But to look at him now, please god we will have at least another 50 of them

Now if only we could get the teeth sorted out

tscul32

thanks for the update - goes to show vigilance can make all the difference
Now just wait until this time next year when his fave word is 'why' - great fun;)

deisemum

Glad to hear he made a full recovery and it just goes to show how a mother's instinct is often right and fortunately she wasn't dismissed as a nervous new mum.

Quality

That is great news. Glad to hear baby is well!

My sister had meningitis at 10 weeks. That was 44 years ago, the doctors kept telling my mam that she just had a cold and to bring her home, but mammy insisted ( being the eldest daughter in a family of 10) she knew that the baby was not right.

My sister also developed encephalitis from the menigitis, her head swelled to twice the normal size. The doctors told Mammy that she could be blind or not develop mentally. Thankfully they were wrong.. And she grew up healthy with no side effects...

I hope you are enjoying baby Jumbo, they grow up too quick.. It will be time for you to have another soon!!

Shammy

Scary story , thank god it turned out good.

JacksDad

We all need a wake up call every now and again - and you've just given us one!

So happy all is well and that everything turned out fine!

Thanks for sharing your story.

cowhands

Glad to hear baby is fine and thanks for the update...goes to show you cant be too careful with little ones