Meningococcal symptoms in babies: Baby treated for meningococcal after red rash appeared on leg
The sinister and deadly meaning behind this ‘innocent’ red spot on a baby’s leg: nurse’s warning to parents
- Mama noticed a small red spot on her baby’s leg
- It was a first sign of meningococcal disease
When a mother recently noticed a small red spot on her baby’s leg, she sprang into action and took her baby straight to the hospital.
And she’s lucky she did because of the rash ‘did not turn white’ when pressure was applied – an early sign of meningococcal bacterial disease that can lead to death if not treated quickly.
The small mark on the baby’s leg could easily have been mistaken for a mark or bruise, but it was a symptom of the deadly disease – something the mother had learned in a first aid class.
Australian parenting group Tiny Hearts Education shared the woman’s story on Instagram to warn other parents about the first warning sign to be taken seriously.
Other symptoms of meningococcal disease in infants and children may include: fever, nausea, drowsiness, irritability, extreme tiredness or weakness and diarrhoea.
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A mother took her baby to the hospital after seeing a small spot on the leg (pictured). It turned out to be a sign of meningococcus
The baby was treated and Tiny Hearts Education alerted other parents to the warning sign
If a spot appears, Tiny Hearts encouraged parents to test whether the rash “bleeds” by “using a clear glass and rolling it over the rash.”
“If the rash turns white, it means it turns white. A non-bleaching rash will not turn white when pressed,” the caption read.
“If the rash doesn’t fade, it means there’s bleeding under the skin and tests should be done to rule out something serious causing it.”
What makes meningococcus so dangerous is the fact that the blood ‘leaks out’ under the skin and not where it should be.
To demonstrate this, a small rectangular piece of solid gel was pricked with an ink needle – the gel represents body tissue and the ink represents ‘stuck’ blood.
Other moms thanked Tiny Hearts for sharing the life-saving information, and some also shared their own horror stories.
‘Thank you! I just have no idea what a non-bleaching rash was, but I saw it being talked about on a regular basis. This was really helpful,” said one of them.
“As a mom with thrombocytopenic purpura (blood disorder), this is super important to look for in your little ones who can’t stand up for themselves!!” added another.
A third wrote: ‘My six-year-old had a small non-bleaching rash on his arm with no other symptoms, so because of the information you’re posting about this, we took him to the hospital…he was found to have bacterial strep. throat!
“Wouldn’t have known to take it without your page, so thanks.”
If the disease is left untreated, death can occur within hours.
Each year in Australia, meningococcal infections cause 700 to 800 hospitalizations and 35 to 40 deaths (10 in children aged 0 to 4).
According to the Immunization Coalition, the disease is transmitted through close, prolonged domestic and intimate contact and can spread through the infected secretions of the back of the nose and throat.
Teenagers have the highest carrier rates, peaking at 19-year-olds, and thus play an important role in transmission.
Vaccinations are the best way to prevent meningococcus.