ONE day in early 2008, Capel woman Em Johnson was the proud mother to a happy and healthy eight-month-old girl called Kelsey-Ann.
The next day, her baby was battling a severe disease that could have killed her in less than 24 hours.
“During the night she woke up lethargic and hot, then the next morning she had vomited all through her bed, she was incoherent,” Ms Johnson said.
“We got in the car and scooted to Busselton hospital and by the time we got there her skin had turned a horrible white-blue and a rash had started to appear.”
Ms Johnson said hospital staff knew immediately that Kelsey-Ann had meningococcal disease and began pumping her with antibiotics.
A WA Health Department annou-ncement this week that a WA child had been diagnosed with the disease brought the memory flooding back for the local mum.
Kelsey-Ann was transferred to Bunbury Regional Hospital and then flown to Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth where she was placed in the intensive care unit.
It took eight days before hospital staff felt comfortable sending the family home and a nurse had to visit every day for a week.
“It was a terrifying experience – it scarred me in a sense that I was sitting in the plane thinking ‘This is it,’” Ms Johnson said.
“My advice to other parents would be don’t question your parenting, don’t think you are being dramatic – you know best when your child is not okay.”
Meningococcal Australia director and meningococcal disease survivor Kirsten Baker said that while rare, it was a sudden and severe disease that could lead to death in less than 24 hours.
As of March 2014, there are vaccines available which protect against all major strains of meningococcal disease.
As not all vaccines are given as part of the National Immunisation Program, Meningococcal Australia recommends parents talk with their doctor to understand how to best protect against meningococcal disease.
For more information about Meningococcal Australia, visit meningococcal.org.au
