A young girl was diagnosed with a Strep A infection after her arm became unusually swollen, and was rushed to hospital.
Mara, 3, had a suddenly limp arm and developed a high fever after picking up a bone infection, known as osteomyelitis.
Doctors ran several tests, including MRIs and blood tests, before it was confirmed that the bacteria Group A streptococcus (Strep A) was the route of the problem.
Young Mara developed a 2cm by 1cm pocket of pus in her arm, which her mum, Laura, admitted was "quite sizeable".
Laura told MyLondon : “Doctors in A&E were concerned about Mara’s blood test results and the possibility of an infection. She was admitted to the inpatients ward and considered for a CT scan of her arm, but then I was advised that she needed to be transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital for an MRI scan under general anaesthetic and would need specialist paediatric care.”
"The team wasted no time and, whilst she was still under anaesthesia, the surgeon operated on her arm and cleaned the infection site. It was such a relief to know that we finally had clarity on what was happening and that immediate action was taken.
“During our time at Evelina London, we were looked after so well by all staff. We were visited by clinicians from various departments, including the infectious diseases team and orthopaedic doctors and nurse - it was clear all of the specialists were coordinated in their approach which was so reassuring."
All of the doctors thoroughly explained everything to Laura, she said, and the overall consensus was that Mara's recent chicken pox infection compromised her immune system, making her more susceptible to serious infections.
"Through testing, it was confirmed that the bacteria was Group A streptococcus," Laura said, "which are commonly found in the throat and on the skin and have potential to wreak havoc, especially in those with compromised immune systems.
"I was surprised, but it was good to join the dots."
The MRI scan was vital in helping doctors to diagnose Mara's infection, according to consultant paediatric radiologist and clinical lead at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Rui Santos.
"In cases where a bone or a joint infection is suspected, the MR scan time can sometimes take an hour or more to be successful, with the child having to stay very still throughout.
"Young children usually need to have general anaesthesia which requires complex multi-team coordination including anaesthesia, orthopaedics, infection disease and radiology.
"Additionally, there are equipment requirements for this to be done in a safe way (MR-safe) due to the strong magnet in the MR scanner. Only dedicated children’s hospitals have the right infrastructures, equipment and workforce that can make all this happen in a timely faction.
"At Evelina London we are fortunate to have all those in place and I am proud that we managed to provide Mara, and her parents, the best care during such a stressful situation."
Mara eventually made a full recovery after five weeks of IV and then a course of oral antibiotics.
She said she was incredibly grateful for the "amazing facilities and staff" at Evelina London.
