Dr Hilary Jones has warned of the symptoms of meningitis after Jay Aston of Bucks Fizz and her daughter was on ITV's Lorraine retelling their experience.
Jay's daughter Josie, 18, developed meningitis earlier in April this year and was rushed to hospital where she put in a coma.
Jay became concerned when she noticed a small rash on the inside of Josie's arm which rapidly spread over her body. Earlier that day, Josie said she was feeling unwell and thought it was sunstroke after she had been sunbathing.
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Presenter Lorraine noted how in this terrifying circumstance, every minute counts and singer Jay emphasised how important it is to spot the symptoms early.
She already knew of the signs after her husband had contracted it years before.
Retelling her experience with the condition, Josie said: “If you’re aware of the symptoms, you’ve got a chance. People can think it’s a hangover. It’s so quick and happens so fast, you can go downhill really quickly.”
She said: “We thought it was sunstroke. I’d been sunbathing literally hours before. I started feeling a bit unwell, started shaking uncontrollably, couldn’t for 45 minutes, and I’m starting to think this isn’t normal.
“So I called mum up because she was out. I was like ‘I’m really not normal’ because I’d been shaking and because I was getting quite hot, and she was like ‘Well that’s sun stroke, isn’t it?’.
“Then the temperature came on and mum was like ’Well that’s not sun stroke’. Then we thought I had the flu.
“Then, come three o’clock in the morning I’d slept in mum’s bed so she could keep an eye on me and stuff, and I just didn’t want to move, and I had three tiny dots in the inside of my arm.
“And that’s when we realised…”
Jay rushed her daughter to hospital where the rash had spread, with an appearance of 'Dalmatian-like' spots, with some varying in size.
The 18-year-old was put into a coma and although recovered, she has warned of a lasting impact to her kidneys and they don't know if she will need dialysis.
Joining in, ITV's resident GP Dr Hilary warned about the other symptoms that people need look out for.
He explained: “When this happens the symptoms can look like any other conditions that are more common, like flu or hangovers or being out in the sun.
“But the typical symptoms would be high temperature, nausea, stiff neck, headache and photophobia - dislike of bright lights.
“The rash occurs late on. But once you see that rash that doesn’t blanch when you press a glass against it, that’s a sign of bleeding into the skin.
“It’s a late sign of septicaemia which can accompany meningitis which occurs first and the mortality’s about 20 per cent.”
According to the NHS, the symptoms of meningitis are:
- A high temperature
- Cold hands and feet
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Breathing quickly
- Muscle and joint pain
- Pale, mottled or blotchy skin
- Spots or a rash
- Headache
- A stiff neck
- A dislike of bright lights
- Being very sleepy or difficult to wake
- Fits (seizures)
Babies may also:
- Refuse feeds
- Be irritable
- Have a high-pitched cry
- Have a stiff body or be floppy or unresponsive
- Have a bulging soft spot on the top of their head
