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RYLEE — AUSTRALIA
Born May 4, 2013 Early-onset Mother's GBS Status: Not tested Gestational Age: 38 weeks Age harmed: After birth but not found until 5 days old |
After having 2 children prior to having Rylee, I knew straight away that something wasn’t right with him from the moment he was born. For the first 3 days we spent in hospital after his birth, he was very sleepy to the point where I had to wake him every 3 hours for feeds. He struggled to latch onto the breast for feeds so I had to feed him via a syringe. His body temperature dropped on day 2 and I had to feed him skin on skin under a heat lamp. He barely cried. I mentioned all this to the doctors and nurses in the hospital but they told me it was all normal for a newborn. I knew better but they wouldn’t listen to me. On day 3 we were released from hospital and I was scared because I knew something still wasn’t right and the doctors didn’t seem to care. It wasn’t until day 5 after his birth that they finally decided to listen.
On day 5, Rylee spiked a high temperature of 39.6 degrees (103.64F). He was extremely irritable and crying to the point where I couldn’t put him down. He was lethargic and slightly floppy. He still struggled to latch onto the breast for feeds. I rushed him to the ER where doctors rushed around him trying to find out what was wrong. They spent 4 hours trying to get blood from his tiny veins to send off for cultures. He was given a lumbar puncture (needle into the spine to collect fluid). He also had a MRI done of his brain and spine. After 15 hours he was finally diagnosed with meningitis and a bleed on his brain caused by GBS.
I didn’t even know GBS existed let alone did I know I was a carrier as I was never tested during my pregnancy. I was also never given any follow up treatment. Rylee spent the next few weeks in hospital. For the first week he was on a total of 3 different antibiotics and over the next 2 weeks they were gradually reduced to 1. By the end of the 3rd week we were transferred to another hospital in a major city because they thought he had another condition called glucose transporter deficiency. But after having further tests done it was found that he didn’t have this.
Over the first 2 years of his life he had numerous hearing tests, development check ups, EEG’s to check for seizures, MRI’s to check the functionality of his brain and numerous check ups with the pediatrician. After the 2nd year the pediatrician told me he was completely healthy. Rylee is now 6 years old and is in his first year of school. He has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and needs medication for this. He also has tremors in both of his hands which is currently being tested and we are trying to find the cause of it. Otherwise he is completely healthy. He doesn’t let his ADHD or the tremors in his hands stop him from getting on with his life. I’m so grateful and lucky that I fought so hard to get answers for him otherwise I would have lost him. Doctors call him a “close call” as he was very close to dying. I saved my son’s life and I hope to save others by spreading awareness for GBS!!
-Sherie Gorton
Shared story on Facebook and Instagram, have shared awareness brochures with pregnant women I see.
On day 5, Rylee spiked a high temperature of 39.6 degrees (103.64F). He was extremely irritable and crying to the point where I couldn’t put him down. He was lethargic and slightly floppy. He still struggled to latch onto the breast for feeds. I rushed him to the ER where doctors rushed around him trying to find out what was wrong. They spent 4 hours trying to get blood from his tiny veins to send off for cultures. He was given a lumbar puncture (needle into the spine to collect fluid). He also had a MRI done of his brain and spine. After 15 hours he was finally diagnosed with meningitis and a bleed on his brain caused by GBS.
I didn’t even know GBS existed let alone did I know I was a carrier as I was never tested during my pregnancy. I was also never given any follow up treatment. Rylee spent the next few weeks in hospital. For the first week he was on a total of 3 different antibiotics and over the next 2 weeks they were gradually reduced to 1. By the end of the 3rd week we were transferred to another hospital in a major city because they thought he had another condition called glucose transporter deficiency. But after having further tests done it was found that he didn’t have this.
Over the first 2 years of his life he had numerous hearing tests, development check ups, EEG’s to check for seizures, MRI’s to check the functionality of his brain and numerous check ups with the pediatrician. After the 2nd year the pediatrician told me he was completely healthy. Rylee is now 6 years old and is in his first year of school. He has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and needs medication for this. He also has tremors in both of his hands which is currently being tested and we are trying to find the cause of it. Otherwise he is completely healthy. He doesn’t let his ADHD or the tremors in his hands stop him from getting on with his life. I’m so grateful and lucky that I fought so hard to get answers for him otherwise I would have lost him. Doctors call him a “close call” as he was very close to dying. I saved my son’s life and I hope to save others by spreading awareness for GBS!!
-Sherie Gorton
Shared story on Facebook and Instagram, have shared awareness brochures with pregnant women I see.
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.