A mum has issued a warning to other parents after her newborn developed a small rash which turned out to be potentially deadly.
The new mum explained how she first noticed the small mark which failed to turn white when she applied pressure to the area.
Despite the small mark appearing fairly benign, the mum later discovered the blemish was an early sign of meningitis after deciding to take the tot to hospital.
If left untreated and caught early, meningitis can become a killer disease or lead to lifelong complications.
Australian parenting group Tiny Hearts Education shared the mum's story on Instagram in a bid to warn other parents what to look out for and when to act.
They have urged parents to look out for similar marks on their own children, and encouraged them to use a clear glass to help identify if the matter is urgent.
Parents should use the glass to roll over the rash, with the group of paramedics saying: "If the rash turns white that means it blanches. A non-blanching rash doesn't turn white when pressed.
"If the rash is non-blanching it means there is bleeding beneath the skin and there are tests that should be done to rule out anything serious causing this," they added.
Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, usually caused by bacteria or viruses.
Meningococcal, the bacteria that cause meningitis, can also cause sepsis - poising of the blood.
In their warning video, the experts explain that Meningococcal is so dangerous because the infected blood "leaks out" under the skin unknowingly.
Demonstrating how to check, the experts can be seen prodding a small rectangular piece of solid gel with a ink needle - the gel representing the body tissue and ink representing the trapped blood.
Most people who catch meningitis recover within ten days, but in some rare cases it can be deadly.
Latest figures released by the UK Health Security Agency show that cases of Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) have increased across the nation from just 80 in 2020-2021 to 205 cases in the 12 months from July 2021 to June 2022.
The stats also show that 179 of these were caused by MenB (meningococcal group B) with most of those (84 cases) occurring in adolescents and young adults aged between 15 and 24 years old.
The figures indicate that nearly a third of MenB cases occurred in children under five and a similar number (32 per cent) of MenB cases occurred in adults.
Meningitis Now chief executive Dr Tom Nutt says the new figures are 'very concerning' and show there's 'still some way to go in the battle to defeat the disease'.
Referring to the latest stats, he says: “For much of this time the country was still in lockdown, when many of us were isolating or practising social distancing. As these restrictions eased, meningitis cases have in turn risen from what had been a historic low in the previous year.
“We did expect that cases of meningitis would increase following the pandemic, but these new figures indicate that there is still more to be done. We all need to remain aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis so that people know to act quickly and to seek urgent medical help to save lives.”
Six of the key warning signs of meningitis
Fever and/or headaches
Body temperatures rising to 37.8C or above is classed as a fever, for which you should always seek medical help.
A fever on its own does not mean a person has meningitis, however, so it's important to be aware of the other symptoms.
Along with a fever and sickness, a headache is another one of the very first signs of meningitis.
Vomiting
Anyone who is vomiting or unable to keep down their food could be unwell and should get medical help if this is occurring alongside other symptoms.
A rash
Meningitis can often, but not always, lead to rashes on the skin.
While a rash alone doesn't indicate meningitis, one way to distinguish is by rolling a glass over it to see if it fades.
If the rash is still the same colour when pressed against glass, you should seek urgent medical help.
Muscle aches and pains and/or a stiff neck
Muscle spasms, stiffness in the neck or general aches and pains are common signs of meningitis, both during the illness and in the months afterwards.
Sensitivity to light
Aversion to bright lights can also be an early warning sign. Especially when paired with drowsiness if a person is difficult to wake or is having trouble staying awake.
Aversion to bright lights can also be an early warning sign. Especially when paired with drowsiness if a person is difficult to wake or is having trouble staying awake.
Seizures
If a person is also having fits or seizures along with other symptoms urgent medical help should be sought by calling 999.
All these symptoms can appear in any order, according to the NHS, and not all of them may be present in meningitis cases.
More support
Anyone concerned about aspects of the disease or who need help can call Meningitis Now's freephone nurse-led helpline on 0808 80 10 388, or e-mail helpline@meningitisnow.org. In a medical emergency call 999.
