“I woke up to find my three- week-old baby boy so poorly.
Addison had a rash, was screaming in a high-pitched way, had a temperature and was generally uncomfortable and hard to settle.
I went to the out of hours doctors as I knew my baby’s screaming the way he was wasn't right for him. We were sent straight to a ward where, to be honest, things became quite a blur. The doctors and nurses just rushed around seeing to our baby but not really saying much to me and my partner as we sat hopelessly watching.
Later that day we heard the dreaded words that no parents ever wish to be said with their child's name in the same sentence... ‘We think Addison has meningitis.'
I cannot describe the sheer terror that takes over your body as those words are said. All sorts start running through your mind."
Felt like it was my fault
“He was started straight away on the treatment. After a few days of constant tests our boy had a lumbar puncture and it was confirmed he did have meningitis. We were completely devastated and, as his mum, I felt like it was my fault as I had contracted Group B Strep in my pregnancy. It was never confirmed that this was the cause but I still believe to this day that it was.
It was a lengthy stay in hospital but our boy started showing signs of improvement daily. He was fighting and has continued to do so every day since.
A year later he has completely astonished us and the doctors. He is a very happy, clever, healthy one-year-old and thankfully has no lasting after-effects from the meningitis. Addison really is one of the lucky ones and we thank God daily for this. Addison is a survivor and we are so proud."
