The devastated parents of a baby girl who tragically died two days before her first birthday have paid a touching tribute to their "bubbly" little one. Maddison Rose Patricia Halliday sadly passed away in Manchester Children's Hospital on October 21.
She was rushed to the hospital when her worried parents, Josh and Shannon, noticed she was behaving out of character. The normally "bouncy" youngster, who "loved singing and dancing", had stopped eating properly and had become "feverish", Manchester Evening News reports
Maddison had been taken to the doctors multiple times since February this year after she had battled a number of viral infections in the lead up to her death. The toddler's provisional cause of death has been noted as 1A Meningococcal serotype B septicaemia, following a post mortem which Manchester coroners' office is currently investigating.
According to the NHS, meningococcal septicaemia is a severe blood stream infection which can develop rapidly and kill someone within hours. Maddison had been displaying common symptoms of the illness, including drowsiness, high temperature, a fever, being unresponsive and refusing to eat.
Dad Josh, 22, told Manchester Evening News: "She wasn't herself on the Thursday at all. It just felt like something was really off. You know when your own child isn't themselves at home. She wasn't eating, or doing anything normal. And we would shout her and she wouldn't respond, she was dazed and distant."
The youngster was first taken to North Manchester General and then rushed to Manchester Children's Hospital, where she was put on life support. The tot's health quickly declined after she suffered four cardiac arrests. Big purple blotches also began to form on her skin and she started to turn blue while in hospital, which is another symptom of meningococcal septicaemia.
"The doctors told us that she wouldn't make it through to the morning and that we may have to make the decision to turn off the life support. We were desperate for them to do what they could to keep her alive," Josh added. "We started ringing family at around 11am on the Friday for them to say their goodbyes to her."
Little Maddison tragically passed away on Friday, October 21, in hospital surrounded by her heartbroken family. Thousands of pounds were raised online to contribute towards her funeral, which will be held at Bury Paris Church on November 10.
Paying tribute, parents Josh and Shannon said: "We took her to Blackpool every other month, she absolutely loved it. We would go for a few days at a time. She was a bouncy child that followed us everywhere. She was very happy and content right from the beginning.
"She was an absolute joy and loved dancing and singing. She was just amazing and was the happiest child we'd ever met. She was really cheeky too, and would always give the dogs her food when you weren't looking. We have got so many supportive friends and family around us."
A representative for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: “We wish to again offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to Maddison’s family. We recognise that this is an extremely difficult time for the family and we will continue to support them.”
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