Meningitis campaign after baby's death

Meningitis campaign after baby's death

Edward Shelton died in his mother's arms

A Buckinghamshire mother whose baby died of meningitis wants doctors and parents to be more aware of the symptoms.

Six-month-old Edward Shelton died hours after he had been sent home by a doctor who could not decide if he had chicken pox or a viral infection.

"He was beyond being saved unfortunately. I had to make the very hard decision to switch the ventilator off and he died in my arms," his mother Harri Shelton said.

The Public Health Laboratory Service has recorded 1686 cases of the more common meningococcal strain in the UK between 2000 and 2001.

There were about 138 cases in the Eastern region and about 13 of these were fatal.

Meningitis symptoms

Symptoms include fever, headache, irritability, lethargy, poor feeding, drowsiness or seizures.

Older children may complain of severe headache, dislike of bright light or noise, and neck stiffness.

An unusual rash which doesn't blanche when pressed may be a sign of meningococcal infection.

Daventry GP Matthew Davies, who was not the family's doctor, said diagnosing meningitis is notoriously difficult and the symptoms are very similar to many other illnesses.

"I saw five young babies this morning whom all presented symptoms of meningitis - fever, irritability, and being off their food.

"Thankfully none of them were meningitis, but this shows how difficult it is to make the diagnosis at the early stages."

It's like the world has just stopped, says Harri Shelton

As Edward's mother struggles to come to terms with his death just before Christmas, she is pushing for GPs and parents to have greater awareness of meningitis and its symptoms.

"Everything is so quiet - this house is so quiet. There was so much happiness in this house.

"There was so much laughter and now there isn't any.

"It's like the world has just stopped - and I get angry because the sun is shining."

In a statement Daventry and South Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust, which covers the family's surgery, said baby Edward's death was a tragedy.

The statement added diagnosing meningitis was difficult because early symptoms are like those of a range of illnesses.