The parents of a four-year-old on a ventilator with a Strep A infection have said they are living in ‘constant terror’.
Camila Rose Burns, from Bolton, has been fighting for her life since being admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool, since last Monday.
Mum Kaye Daniels told ITV News the family is terrified to hear the worst about Camila’s illness.
‘It’s mostly just absolute terror… we’re terrified of them calling us in and saying… I can’t even say it, but the worst I just need her to come home,’ she said.
‘It’s just a constant terror. A black cloud hanging over you.’
A fundraising page has now been set up for Camila and her family, which has received almost £14,000 at the time of writing.
Dad Dean Burns previously told Sky News: ‘When we got here on Monday, they said she’s the poorliest girl in the whole of England.
‘To go from dancing on Friday night with her friends to a little bit under the weather on Saturday and then a bit more bad on Sunday, she’s basically not the same girl any more.
‘It’s heartbreaking.’
Six young children have now died from Strep A in the UK this winter so far, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The UKHSA said there has been a rise in the rare invasive form of the infection, which is usually mild.
Health experts have suggested Covid-19 lockdowns may be to blame for the dramatic rise.
Mr Burns said there was a sickness bug going around Camila’s school, and she initially complained of a sore chest.
She was taken to hospital and prescribed an inhaler and sent home – but a day later her condition dramatically deteriorated, and Camila had to be admitted to critical care.
What are the symptoms of Strep A?
Strep A can cause a lot of different illnesses, but they tend to start off with a few typical symptoms.
According to the NHS, a long-lasting, sore, red scratchy throat is the main one to look out for, as well as fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes (lumps) in the neck and under the jaw.
This is because the bacteria tend to tuck themselves away in people’s throats, with this infection commonly called strep throat.
Things like a cough or a runny nose are not symptoms of strep throat, however.
If someone gets strep throat, they might develop scarlet fever as well. This mild illness results in patchy red spots over the body and is caused by the same bacteria.
This skin rash, which makes the skin feel like sandpaper, usually appears about 12 to 48 hours after a fever starts.
‘She just completely changed,’ he added. ‘She was restless.’
‘We shouted some nurses down and we had to leave the room. They put her to sleep and she’s been on a ventilator ever since, keeping her alive.
‘It’s the worst thing that can ever happen to anybody.’
Strep A can cause several different mild infections – including impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat – but can sometimes turn into the deadly Group A Streptococcal disease.
There have been 2.3 cases of invasive disease per 100,000 children aged one to four this year in England, compared with an average of 0.5 in the pre-pandemic seasons (2017 to 2019), according to the UKHSA.
Mr Burns urged people to act quickly if they see their child is sick, adding: ‘When I look back, it still just seemed like a sickness bug. She was really lethargic at times but her health was improving until she completely changed.’
Medics have told parents to call NHS 111 or their GP if their child is getting worse, or has signs of dehydration like eating less than normal or has a dry nappy for 12 hours or more.
A very tired or irritated child, or a high temperature, are also signs which should not be ignored.
If a child has difficulty breathing, has blue skin or is floppy and unresponsive, parents should call 999 or go to A&E.
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