A mum who feared her baby’s life was on the line after her eyes turned red and swollen is urging parents to vaccinate their children before it’s too late.
Scarlett Jones lived every parent’s worst nightmare when her little girl, Saskia, suddenly fell ill.
The seven-month-old had developed red, swollen eyes, had a fever of 39.4 degrees and was struggling to breathe.
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Fearing her life was on the line, the mum-of-one rushed Saskia to the hospital, where she received emergency oxygen and intravenous fluids.
It turns out, the tot had contracted measles, and as she was too young to have her first MMR jab, it was a case of relying on herd immunity.
According to the NHS, figures for those receiving the jab decreased last year to 88.9% – under the 95% recommended threshold – the lowest level since 2009.
Now, the mum, 29, is sharing her daughter’s battle in a bid to raise awareness and urge parents to get their children booked in.
“It was terrifying,” the singing teacher, from Bishop Middleham, County Durham, told Need To Know.
“I was so frightened, I didn’t know what was wrong.
“She was deteriorating so quickly.
“Usually, when she wakes up from a nap, she’s running around – but [this time] Saskia stayed lying on her back, just staring at the ceiling.
“She was very unresponsive and floppy.
“I tried to move her, to make her more alert, and she just wasn’t.
“I frantically phoned NHS 111, who dispatched an ambulance, and within minutes, paramedics arrived at our house.
“In the hospital, doctors initially thought that it could be meningitis or sepsis.
“It was a nightmare come true.”
After two days, Saskia. Who is now 18 months old, was eventually diagnosed with measles.
It took a while for doctors to come to this conclusion, as they had never seen a case of it before.
The little girl then developed a rash and distinctive white spots in her mouth.
Usually, it clears within 10 days, with Saskia discharged to recover at home after four days once stabilised.
Children are advised to have two doses of the MMR vaccine: one around their first birthday and a second at three years and four months old.
It’s feared that a fall in the vaccination rate will lead to further outbreaks, which could be detrimental – if not deadly – for babies and other vulnerable people.
Measles can be easily caught, with the NHS advising that spending just 15 minutes in the same room as an infected person is enough.
Complications include pneumonia, blindness, deafness, brain swelling and even death.
“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world,” Dr Catherine Monaghan, medical director for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said.
“Ensuring your children are properly immunised is one of the most important things you can do to protect their health.
“We can’t be complacent, because low rates […] could leave room for outbreaks and frightening cases like Saskia’s.
“If your child has missed any doses, it’s never too late to catch up.”
Scarlett hopes Saskia’s brush with death will serve as a reminder.
She added, “We want all parents to know just how important the MMR vaccine is.
“Not just for their own children, but for those who are still young to have it.
“Thankfully, Saskia is fine now – but it could’ve been so much worse.
“We’re just so incredibly grateful that she’s okay.
“The whole experience was very frightening.
“It’s something we wouldn’t wish on anyone else to go through.”
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