Mum-of-22 Sue Radford given ‘shock of her life’ as nine-month-old grandson Chester is diagnosed with Strep A
SHE’S got 22 kids of her own, but that doesn’t make it any easier for Sue Radford when one of her loved ones is ill.
The family matriarch took to Instagram on Saturday to share the shocking news that her grandson Chester – daughter Millie’s son – had been diagnosed with Strep A.
Sharing Millie’s post explaining that Chester’s diagnosis came after he was looked at by an “extremely rude” doctor at midnight on Friday, Sue wrote over the top: “Got the shock of my life early this morning getting woken up by Millie worried sick about Chester.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing – his nose pouring with blood and him looking so poorly.
“To say we feel let down by this doctor that saw Chester at midnight on Friday is an understatement with how serious Strep A is.
“This could have been so much worse.
“Thank God for the amazing team at RLI (Royal Lancaster Infirmary).”
Sue urged other parents to “follow your instincts” when it comes to your children, as nose bleeds are a new symptom of the virus.
Millie had previously said that she was “absolutely disgusted” that the emergency doctor had told her Chester had conjunctivitis, despite him displaying clear Strep A symptoms.
“I had to book an emergency doctors’ appointment for him Friday midnight – the doctor being extremely rude,” she wrote on her Instagram stories.
“On the phone to his daughter while ‘checking my son over’ all for him to say, ‘Yes it’s just conjunctivitis’ which is correct but I said I think he has Strep A – he’s suffering with his throat and there’s a clear obvious red rash all over his face.
“He still refused to swab Chester.”
Then at 5am on Saturday morning, Millie walked into Chester’s bedroom to find his face absolutely covered in blood from a nose bleed.
“This nose bleed has happened because he has strep A – it’s been that aggressive in his throat, his face has swollen up, his ears are inflamed and the pressure it’s been causing around his face has left him with a pouring nose bleed,” she continued.
HIGH ALERT: Symptoms of invasive Strep A
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) – is also known as Streptococcus pyogenes – and is a bacteria that can cause mild illnesses like sore throats and skin infections, including tonsillitis cellulitis, impetigo and scarlet fever.
In rare cases, the bacteria can trigger the life-threatening illness, invasive group A Strep disease.
Guidance from the NHS states that there are four key signs of invasive disease:
- fever (a high temperature above 38°C (100.4°F)
- severe muscle aches
- localised muscle tenderness
- redness at the site of a wound
Invasive disease happens when the bacteria break through the body’s immune defences.
It can happen if you’re already ill or have a weakened immune system.
Two of the most severe examples of invasive disease are necrotising fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome.
You’re at increased risk of Group Strep A invasive disease if you:
- are in close contact with someone who has the disease
- are over the age of 65
- are diabetic, have heart disease or cancer
- have recently had chickenpox
- have HIV
- use some steroids or intravenous drugs, according to the NHS.
Group Strep A bacteria can also cause scarlet fever, which can be serious if it’s not treated with antibiotics.
“Please always trust your gut instinct, this could have been much worse.
“I had the doctor’s name that seen to Chester and refused to swab him when he had every strep A symptom and it was so obvious.”