A mum has shared a warning sign of sepsis that all parents should be aware of when it comes to their child’s wellbeing – and it’s something everyone should know
Samantha Bartlett Assistant Editor, Social News
19:46, 14 May 2026
Parents are being urged to check for the symptom (Getty)
Your child’s health ranks among the most crucial concerns for any parent, and one mum and influencer has highlighted a warning sign of sepsis that all parents ought to recognise when it comes to their child’s wellbeing. Samantha Silver, who has amassed 87,300 followers on Instagram, used the platform to share an account about her son Leo.
The post began with overlay text which stated, ‘This is something that every parent should know…’
The influencer explained she felt compelled to share a post about the situation as her ‘inbox had been flooded’ with messages from other parents who were unaware of the medical symptom after she shared details on her Instagram story, reports GlasgowLive.
Samantha revealed things began when Leo sustained a “regular, normal, rather boring graze” on his elbow at the playground at school.
She noted the school nurse cleaned and dressed it and she changed the plaster herself that evening. “All rather normal and boring,” she wrote.
However, on the Friday night, Leo mentioned his armpit ached and Samantha said she “assumed he was trying to delay bedtime” so she administered Calpol and sent him to bed.
Yet on the Saturday morning, Leo reported his arm was aching again after he played padel, though the discomfort wasn’t significant enough to prevent him hanging out with friends or attending a party.
“He had no fever, he was absolutely fine in himself,” she wrote. However, Leo returned at 5pm that evening and complained once more about his arm. When Samantha lifted it, she noticed a red line travelling from his elbow up to his armpit.
“The red line was our warning sign,” she said.
Samantha explained she’d seen somewhere that a red line could indicate sepsis, so she drove Leo straight to AandE where he was immediately admitted.
She wrote: “Red streaks spreading from a wound, bite or sting are lymphangitis, a medical emergency singling that a bacterial infection is spreading through the lymphatic system and can quickly lead to sepsis.
“These streaks typically run toward nearby lymph nodes (armpit or groin) and can move rapidly.”
Fortunately, Samantha said they caught it in Leo’s case, and after an IV of antibiotics and one week course of oral antibiotics, he was absolutely fine.
However, she said if they had delayed any longer, he wouldn’t have been.
Concluding her post, she wrote: “Be aware of the red line.”
Following up in the caption, Samantha wrote: “Moving this to the grid because it’s so important to be aware of,If you didn’t know, now you do. Let your friends and family know too.”
People have been sharing the post for other parents to see, with it accumulating more than 163,000 likes so far.
TV host and author Fearne Cotton commented on the post, writing: “Gosh that’s scary! Reposted! Really useful to know. Hope he is ok. Thanks for sharing Sam.”
Someone else commented: “Honestly I had no idea about this – even as a medical student. Thank you so much for sharing and hope you’re all doing ok.”
A third person added: “A really great example of parental intuition coupled with knowledge. Absolutely, a red line spreading from a wound can be a sign that an infection is spreading through the lymphatic system. Really well done for acting quickly and I’m so glad he’s recovered well.”
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