Daniel and Lewis Wood
Michelle and Andrew Wood's sons were struck down by meningitis, just six months apart. Despite twice going through the ordeal of seeing a child battle the disease, the family count themselves as being very lucky.
Daniel's story
We were all looking forward to the start of the summer holidays, especially as we had just brought our youngest son Lewis home from hospital after being born into the world five weeks early. A week before we were due to break up Daniel, who was three at the time, finally caught the Chicken Pox which had been going round the school for most of the term.
The doctors checked him out and after a few days he appeared to be on the mend. All appeared normal until he woke up in the night with a high temperature and proceeded to be sick a few times. We kept him in bed with us, bringing his temperature down with a mixture of Calpol and cold flannels. We thought that it was all linked to his Chicken Pox.
The next morning, after Andrew had left early for work, I noticed a tiny purple mark on his neck. I thought this was strange and not at all like his Chicken Pox rash. Then I received a call from my sister to say my nan had died. Very emotional, I took Daniel to the doctors where I was told he had caught another sort of virus and that I shouldn't worry. I wasn't happy with this so called my husband who came straight home. We decided to take Daniel, who was very pale and lethargic by this point, straight to Kingston Hospital.
At the hospital he was luckily seen straightaway. All signs of his Chicken Pox had completely disappeared but the mark that was on his neck was now starting to appear on his stomach and arms. Andrew and I didn't say anything but we both knew what it looked like. We were both scared but took comfort in the thought that he was in the best place, receiving the best care.
Daniel stayed in the children's A&E department for 10 hours on a drip, having his heart rate and temperature monitored as well as being pumped full of antibiotics. A bed became available in the isolation unit where he stayed for five days.
With the excellent care he received, Daniel made a speedy recovery and it was great to see his little face light up when he was told he could go and play on the red train in the children's area - something he had been aching to do since visiting Lewis in hospital just after he was born!
He got very tired quickly and was tearful many times for a period of about six months after he was ill but he's now everything you would expect from a five-year-old boy.
Lewis's story
In December 2007 we relocated from London to the West Midlands and Joseph and Daniel both started at their new schools. We had been in our new house for about five weeks, enjoying both Christmas and New Year.
Lewis, who by then was almost eight-months-old, became ill overnight and had a very high temperature. Having been through what we had with Daniel, we took Lewis to the local hospital after speaking to NHS Direct. Once at the hospital we explained our family history and shared our thoughts that the small rash developing on Lewis looked similar to the one Daniel had with meningitis.
We were assured that it was nothing to worry about and that it was probably just a virus. At this point, Lewis was smiling and playing with the doctor examining him! We were told to take him home and keep an eye on him. Thinking that we had perhaps overreacted, we went home albeit a bit sheepishly. We were pleased we had followed the advice we had given friends following Daniel's illness - if in doubt go to A&E.
Lewis appeared to get better but two days later his temperature became very high again and the rash reappeared. The next morning I noticed he was sleepy, pale and didn't look himself. I arranged for him to see our new local doctor who looked at him straightaway. She decided to give him a penicillin injection and called for an ambulance.
At the hospital Lewis was started on a course of antibiotics. None of the doctors thought he had meningitis. The next day his fontanel (the soft spot on a baby's head) started to bulge. He cried when he was picked up and really wasn't well at all. It was so upsetting to see him like that. Over the course of the next few worrying days and nights, his treatment with antibiotics continued and numerous tests were undertaken. It was finally confirmed that Lewis had the same meningococcal B strain that Daniel had. By this point he was getting better and he was discharged five days later.
Lewis is almost two and is now walking and staring to talk. He loves making himself heard above his brothers and joins in everything.
Many people say we have been incredibly unlucky. We don't see it like that. We think we have been incredibly lucky as both Daniel and Lewis have made full recoveries.
We continue to tell all our friends and families that if they are in any doubt about the health of their children, they should take them to A&E straight away. We reinforce the symptoms of meningitis and explain that their children are not vaccinated against all strains. We will continue to support Meningitis UK in their efforts to find a vaccine in the hope that one day a vaccine will be found to eradicate all types of meningitis and septicaemia.
Michelle Wood (Daniel and Lewis' mum)
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774