Jason Watkins and Clara Francis have opened up about the death of their two-year-old daughter Maudie from sepsis. The grieving parents are campaigning for better awareness of the signs and symptoms of the condition in their new documentary Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie.
Jason found his daughter dead in her bed on New Year's Day in 2011 after suffering from flu symptoms. Despite two hospital visits, Maude's flu symptoms masked the sepsis and her condition went undiagnosed. The couple believe their daughter's death could have been avoided.
Speaking ahead of the documentary being aired, Clara said: "I've always felt with Maude, she was just unlucky. You know, another child may have gone to A&E and they've had a consultant there who has gone 'I think this could be sepsis' and their child is alive. That makes it so much more painful to me because this is a death that could have been avoided."
Describing what symptoms Maude had, Jason told Giovanna Fletcher on her Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast that she developed a sore throat and "husky voice", he added: "We never thought it was serious and of course at that point it wasn't."
Clara said after a week they took Maude to the GP and then to A&E and were told that she had croup. She was prescribed steroids. That night she went to sleep and woke up the next morning breathless.
Jason continued: "'She was losing consciousness; she was pale and flopping." So they rushed her to hospital. After an hour her temperature had come down and the doctor said she might be more comfortable at home. Jason described how it didn't feel right at the time, adding: "And that is when the guilt comes in of course."
Maude shared a bedroom with her sister Bessie, and the next morning Bessie went in to her parents and said she couldn't wake up Maude. Describing that moment, Clara said: "I just knew. Because there was a part of me, my sort of motherly instinct was, she is really ill. But because the doctors kept saying, 'its fine' I thought 'oh ok'. Before something like this happens you are trusting of doctors you kind of go 'if the doctor, who went to medical school, is telling me this then I'm going to believe it'. But when I look back my instinct was, no this is really serious. And I wish I had been more trusting of my instinct, which I am now."
What is sepsis?
According to the NHS, sepsis is a life threatening infection which can be hard to spot. It is the body's extreme response to an infection, and happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body.
It can be hard to spot, especially in babies and young children, people with dementia, people with a learning disability and people who have difficulty communicating. You cannot catch sepsis from another person. It happens when your body overreacts to an infection. Anyone can get sepsis but some people are more likely to get an infection that could lead to sepsis, including:
- babies under 1, particularly if they're born early (premature) or their mother had an infection while pregnant
- people over 75
- people with diabetes
- people with a weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy treatment or who recently had an organ transplant
- people who have recently had surgery or a serious illness
- women who have just given birth, had a miscarriage or had an abortion
It is a medical emergency, and if you or someone you look after has symptoms of sepsis, it is important to call 999 or go to A&E.
What are the signs and symptoms of sepsis?
The NHS has two separate lists of symptoms for sepsis which can appear differently in babies, young children and adults.
The NHS advises that you call 999 or go to A&E immediately if a baby or young child has any of these symptoms of sepsis:
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
- a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry
- not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
- being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake
And the following symptoms in an adult or older child:
- acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
Other possible signs of sepsis which you should call 111 to seek advice for, include:
- feeling unwell or like there's something seriously wrong
- not passing urine all day or in the last 12 hours
- vomiting and can't keep food or milk down
- swelling or pain around a cut or wound
- a very high or low temperature, feeling hot or cold to touch or is shivering
Treatment for sepsis
Sepsis needs to be treated as soon as possible as it can get worse quickly. Antibiotics should be administered within one hour of arriving at the hospital, the NHS says.
If sepsis is not treated early, it can turn into septic shock and cause your organs to fail which can be deadly. Some people may need treatment in intensive care and need help breathing with a ventilator. Surgery may also be needed to remove areas of infection. Sepsis could also lead to spending several weeks in hospital.
You can watch Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie on ITV1, March 30 at 9pm.
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