Young mum Rebecca looks forward to a happy 2024 with the ‘little warrior’ she almost lost to meningitis

Rebecca Bergin is looking forward to a happy new year for 2024 with the little boy she’d feared she might lose.

Tommy was only four months old when he contracted a rare form of bacterial meningitis and sepsis – and it’s thanks to Rebecca’s quick thinking and the care of medics at Alder Hey that he is still alive today.

“I feel so lucky,” she says. “Last year was a nightmare, but I just know this year is going to be better, and it feels great to have Tommy back to his normal, laughing self.”

“Doctors at the hospital told me if I hadn’t got there when I did, he wouldn’t be here today,” says Rebecca, 22, from Parr in St Helens.

“I am so grateful for everything they did for me and my family, and I want to warn other parents to be on the alert and aware of meningitis. I didn’t know anyone who’d ever had it and I thought it could never happen to me and mine.

“So please, be aware of the symptoms, and don’t waste time getting help if you think there is any chance that your child, your baby, might have it.”

The nightmare began at the end of March 2023, when Tommy became unwell.

“We’d been to see my dad and Tommy had a little diarrhoea and was quite irritable,” explains Rebecca who, with partner Josh, also 22, has a three-year-old daughter Macie.

“We thought he might have a virus or something so, when we got home, we put him to bed as normal.”

But she goes on: “I woke up in the early hours and I could hear Tommy moaning in his sleep. I tried to give him a bottle but he didn’t want to take it.

“I picked him up and I’d never felt body heat like it, he was like a radiator. I took his temperature and it was 40.3 degrees.”

Not wanting to overreact, Rebecca gave him Calpol and Ibuprofen and kept a close watch on her son. But the medicine did nothing to reduce his temperature and ‘not even 20 minutes later’ he started to breathe rapidly and his heart rate soared.

Rebecca rang 111 whose operator said they would send an ambulance, but when that failed to arrive and Tommy’s temperature started to register 40.8 degrees, she decided to call 999.

“When the ambulance crew came, he started vomiting.”

As they arrived at hospital Rebecca was told to wait at reception to have Tommy checked in: “But triage nurse came out, took one look at him, and rushed him round to emergency.

“Within five minutes he was unconscious and they couldn’t wake him up, sparking immediate concerns of meningitis; he started having apneas where he stopped breathing and they had to stimulate his chest so he would take a breath.”

The hospital began to administer antibiotics and fluids while they continued to carry out tests, including a lumbar puncture to take fluids from his spine.

“The next morning a consultant came in and asked me to sit down, and said ‘I am so sorry, but your son has bacterial meningitis and sepsis’. I burst into tears and asked if he was going to be okay. They told me they didn’t have an answer, but they were going to do everything they could for him.

“I was in total shock.

“They managed to get steroids into Tommy’s system within the first 24 hours which was crucial to protect his brain. He kept having episodes of bradycardia (slower than average heart rate) due to the medication he was on and he was having little seizures.

Tommy - happier and healthier — Tommy – happier and healthier

“The doctors’ main concern was with Tommy’s hearing but he passed the hearing test with flying colours. Thankfully Tommy was discharged after a fortnight, but the type of meningitis he had was so aggressive that doctors said if we had got him to hospital any later than we did he wouldn’t have made it.

“It’s hard to think I could have gone in there with my son and walked out without him.

“It’s so scary.

“Tommy has a long road ahead with paediatrics due to a developmental delay, but he’s doing amazing and there is no serious lasting damage.

“He is now 14 months old and we are so proud of our little warrior and grateful for all the staff at Alder Hey hospital for taking such good care of him. We feel so lucky to have our beautiful little boy still because it could have been so different.”

Rebecca has become involved with the Meningitis Now charity to share her story and warn other parents to be aware of the symptoms: “You know your child, and if you are concerned call 111, call 999, or take them to A&E. No one wants to be that overanxious mother – but your child’s life could be at stake. Don’t waste time in seeking help – because you could leave it too late.”

And she is planning to make the most of 2024, with the family that means the world to her.

“This year is going to be happier and healthier,” she smiles. “I have my family. And now it’s extra special after what we’ve been through. We are very, very lucky.”