Denise with her daughter Sarah Ann now

Denise had to watch while her tiny son Ryan was given the last rites for the Men B strain, just seven years before reliving the nightmare with her daughter Sarah Ann.

Mum who watched her

kids battle meningitis

calls for vaccine for teens

 

By: Louise Walsh

 

A Meath mum who helplessly watched both her babies battle deadly meningitis – seven years apart – is calling for a catch-up vaccine programme for the disease’s B strain for those born before 2016. 

 

Denise O’Rourke said she will do ‘anything’ to highlight the dangers of the disease and the need for the vaccine for all children, teens and young adults if they want it – especially in the wake of the outbreak in the UK.

 

A sixth-form pupil and a university student have died in Kent, and up to 20 other cases are being investigated after an outbreak of meningitis.  

 

Hundreds of students at the University of Kent, where one student died, have been queuing to receive antibiotics.

 

Health authorities have reportedly identified MenB as the strain behind at least six of the cases, which is the bacterial form of the disease.  Babies, children and young adults are most at risk of this strain.

 

MenB is the stain that almost robbed Denise of her child, not once, but twice when she became the second family in Ireland to have both children hit by the deadly disease.

 

At present the vaccine for the Men C strain is freely available to all children but parents of those born before October 2016 have to fork out up to €300 per child for the MenB shots.

 

Denise had to watch while her tiny son Ryan was given the last rites for the Men B strain, just seven years before reliving the nightmare with her daughter Sarah Ann.

 

Both children were born before the 2016 cut-off and both children, like their friends, are now in the main susceptible group of teenagers and young adults.

 

In October 2004, Denise was revelling in becoming a new mother to one-month premature baby Ryan who was suffering from colic and acid reflux.

 

“He cried a lot anyway because of the reflux but this day, he was crying even more, nodding off and not feeding well,” she said.

 

“He had a temperature – which I’ve since been told babies never get unless it’s serious – so I gave him Calpol and rang a friend of mine in Temple Street Hospital who checked him for a stiff neck but he seemed fine.

 

“He developed a high pitched cry that night so the doctor told me to take him to Temple Street the next morning, despite him not really having any of the signs of Meningitis.

 

“However he went downhill rapidly on the way there and a lumbar puncture in hospital confirmed our worst fears of meningococcal meningitis.

 

“He was placed on antibiotics straight away and a priest came to give him the last rites.  We were told the next 24 hours were crucial and then the following 24 hours.

 

Ryan is now 21 and is into his health and fitness.  Former jockey and MP Nina Carberry just opened his new Empire Salt and Recovery Rooms in Ratoath recently where he offers ice baths, sauna, halotherapy and everything to do with fitness and recovery.

 

“He obviously has no recollection of what happened but I say to him that his strength started that day.  He was 16 weeks and it took four registrars to hold him down to put cannulas in his head and I will never forget the look on his face.

 

“Another little baby from the west of Ireland came in at the same time with meningitis and didn’t make it and I will never forget that. Those mixed emotions that your child survived and the other baby didn’t.”

 

It was seven years later, on March 11, 2011, that Denise gave birth to Sarah Ann who arrived a month early, after a number of miscarriages and intervention.

 

“The medical staff knew I was very anxious about meningitis so they gave Sarah Ann a shot of something in the birth canal and then injections for the next two days to try and rid her of any of the deadly bacteria.”

 

But it wasn’t enough and weeks later, Denise noticed her daughter wasn’t taking her feed.

 

“I knew the signs to watch out for so when she developed a temperature and her fontanelle started to bulge, I rang the VHI nurse helpline

 

“I knew, I just knew and as the nurse was asking me questions, I was already packing a bag for Temple Street.  I knew something was really wrong but in my head, I just didn’t believe we could be that unlucky for meningitis to hit again.

 

“After Ryan was given the last rites, I had it in my head to get Sarah Ann christened early so she was baptised at seven weeks, just in case.

 

“Again a lumbar puncture confirmed she had meningitis and she was started on a generic antibiotic right away.  Luckily, she was caught early so tests to determine the strain of meningitis came back inconclusive.

 

“I was told that I might be a carrier of the bacteria in the back of my nose or throat, which emerge as droplets when you sneeze or when you kiss anyone with low immunity.”

 

Thankfully Sarah Ann made a full recovery and now, at the age of 15, is living life to the full.

 

“Meningitis shattered me as a first time parent and crushed me the second time.  I remember looking up at the sky the second time and saying ‘are you having a laugh?’

 

“I’d just say to any mum – follow that mother’s instinct.  Don’t doubt yourself and get your child to the hospital as soon as you can.  Every second counts with this disease.

 

“Most parents say, sure leave it tonight to see and most times, they would be right.  But if there is a niggle in your gut, get them checked out.”

 

“I used to think that we were so unlucky to be hit twice with meningitis but now I think how lucky we are to have two children who survived it fully, without losing any limbs.”

 

Denise admits that she would love to see children born before October 2016 – those who are now teenagers and young adults – being able to get a catch-up vaccine if they want.

 

“MenB is spread by droplets.  Sure most teenagers and adults at that age will be kissing each other and sharing glasses and straws.  It is how it is spread.  Vaccination might be costly, but what cost is hospital care.  What cost is a life.