A Bradford mum is working with a national charity to raise awareness of the meningitis Red Flag' symptoms in order to save lives.

Deborah Roberts lost her three-year-old son Keegan to meningococcal septicaemia in January 1998.

Now the 38-year-old is working with Meningitis Research Foundation to alert other parents to early symptoms of the devastating disease during Meningitis Awareness Week, which starts on Monday.

The Foundation funded a national study of children who had meningitis and septicaemia - blood poisoning - which identified key early symptoms commonly seen by parents and family doctors.

If recognised, these early symptoms are a flag' that medical attention is needed so that life-saving treatment can be given in time.

The Red Flag early symptoms include cold hands and feet, limb pain and pale or mottled skin. They typically occur five to eight hours before the classic textbook symptoms of rash, neck stiffness and impaired consciousness.

Mrs Roberts, of Bradford Road, Drighlington, who has two other children, Sancha, 14, and Dagan, seven, said: "I torture myself that I was not aware of the early symptoms of meningitis. It is such a quick illness and it takes children so swiftly. If I can help other parents be aware of the early Red Flag symptoms so they can get medical help as soon as possible for their children and save lives that can only be a good thing."

Keegan had been at nursery quite happily on the day he fell ill in January 1998. He went to bed as normal but woke at about 2am.

"He said he felt sick and had a bit of temperature but nothing out of the ordinary," said Mrs Roberts.

"It got worse during the night and I rang the doctor who said it might be flu and to keep an eye on him.

"By 8am I rang the doctor crying because he was going downhill rapidly. They told me to bring him in as soon as possible and when I got to the GP they called an ambulance to take him to hospital. He died at 12.30pm.

"The rash did not come out until about 9am when we were waiting for the ambulance.

"I was absolutely devastated and even eight years on I'm working with Meningitis Research Foundation to help raise awareness of this terrible disease."

Mrs Roberts has also raised thousands of pounds for the Meningitis Research Foundation and is taking part in the Great North Run next month to raise more cash.

For free symptoms information, call the Foundation's freephone 24-hour helpline on 080 8800 3344.

e-mail: claire.lomax@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

KNOW THE EARLY-WARNING SIGNS

Each year in the UK there are more than 3,000 cases of meningitis and septicaemia, resulting in 300 deaths.

Although there are vaccines against some forms of the disease, they cannot prevent them all.

Meningitis and septicaemia is the most common infectious cause of death in UK children.

Red Flag symptoms are:

  • cold hands and feet, limb pain and pale or mottled skin.
  • symptoms of meningitis include severe headache, dislike or bright lights and stiff neck (both unusual in young children), fever and vomiting, drowsiness and less responsive or vacant behaviour, a rash and sometimes. fits
  • symptoms of septicaemia are a rash, fever/vomiting, cold hands and feet/shivering, limb/joint/muscle pain, abdominal pain, sometimes with diarrhoea, pale or mottled skin, rapid or unusual breathing, and drowsiness and less responsive behaviour. This form of the illness often starts with flu-like symptoms.
  • other symptoms in babies include a tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot), blotchy skin, getting paler or turning blue, refusing to feed, being irritable when picked up, a high-pitched or moaning cry, a stiff body with jerky movements or a floppy and lifeless body.
  • Information about the disease is available on the Foundation's website www.meningitis.org in 18 languages and an interpretation service is available through the 24-hour helpline.
  • The Meningitis Research Foundation is funding 18 research projects to a value of £2.5million. It relies on public support to fund this work.

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