About sepsis
Sepsis is the body’s life-threatening reaction to a severe infection.
Infections are common in children and teenagers. Infections usually don’t cause sepsis because the body’s immune system fights them off.
But severe infections sometimes cause sepsis. These infections might include viral infections like influenza or bacterial infections like cellulitis, scarlet fever and pneumonia. The infections can start anywhere in the body, including the lungs, urinary tract and skin. The infections that cause sepsis can also happen after a burn, an operation or even a cut or graze.
Sepsis doesn’t spread between people, but the infections that cause sepsis can spread.
Any child of any age can get sepsis, but some children have a higher risk of sepsis. This includes very young babies, children with weak immune systems, and children with severe and chronic health problems.
Sepsis is a medical emergency and needs immediate treatment. If you think your child might have sepsis, take them straight to your local hospital emergency department or call 000 for an ambulance.
Sepsis signs and symptoms
Sepsis starts with many of the same signs and symptoms as mild infections. These symptoms might include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and the feeling of being generally unwell. This means that sepsis can be hard to spot. So it’s important to think about sepsis and seek medical attention if your child is sick and:
- not getting better
- getting worse
- showing symptoms that seem different from other illnesses.
Sometimes babies, children and teenagers with sepsis might be sicker than they’ve ever been before. For example, they might have some of the following signs and symptoms of severe illness.
Breathing, temperature and pain
- Breathing difficulty or unusual breathing
- Seizures
- Fever or a normal or even low temperature
- Severe pain for no obvious reason
Skin
- Cold hands or feet
- Pale, blotchy, blue or discoloured skin
- A rash that doesn’t fade when you press it
- A bright red rash that looks like sunburn on light skin and is less noticeable on dark skin
Behaviour
- Irritability, particularly in babies
- Lack of interest in feeding or eating
- Severe drowsiness or unresponsiveness
- Refusal to walk because they’re too sick
Older children and teenagers might have disturbed thoughts and feelings. For example, they might say they feel like they’re dying or they’re worried they might die.
Sometimes sepsis symptoms develop slowly. Other times symptoms develop very quickly and unexpectedly, especially in young babies.
Medical help for children and teenagers with sepsis symptoms
Sepsis is a medical emergency.
If you think that your child might have sepsis, take your child to your local hospital emergency department straight away or call 000 for an ambulance.
Ask the doctor or nurse at the hospital, ‘Could it be sepsis?’
It might not be obvious that your child has sepsis, and symptoms might develop over time. If your child is back home after seeing a doctor and their condition gets worse or you’re worried they’re very unwell, go back to your doctor or hospital or call 000 again. It’s OK to ask for another opinion.
You know your child best. If your child seems very unwell or you’re worried that your child has sepsis, trust your instincts and seek urgent medical attention.
Diagnosing sepsis
The doctor will consider your child’s signs and symptoms. They’ll ask what your child’s symptoms were at the beginning of their illness and how the symptoms have changed since then.
The doctor will also do a careful physical examination.
The doctor might order blood, urine and other tests to work out where the infection is in your child’s body and how it’s affecting your child. Some test results are available quickly, and others take longer.
If the doctors think your child has sepsis, they’ll start treatment right away, even if they don’t know the test results yet.
Early diagnosis of sepsis means early treatment, and early treatment gives children the best chance of recovering well.
Treatment for sepsis
Your child will need to go to hospital for treatment. They might need treatment in the hospital’s intensive care unit where they can be monitored closely. Or they might need to be transferred to a bigger hospital with a specialist paediatric intensive care unit.
Doctors will give your child antibiotics, usually directly into a vein, plus other medicines to treat the infection. The medicine will depend on the type of sepsis and what caused the infection.
Your child might also need oxygen, intravenous fluids and medicines to help with their breathing and blood circulation. And some children might need an operation to remove the area of infection. For example, this might happen if your child has an abscess somewhere in their body.
If your child is being treated in hospital for sepsis, it can be distressing and confusing for you, especially if you’re not sure what’s happening. It’s OK to ask plenty of questions and to advocate for your child. You can also get support for yourself from other hospital professionals, like counsellors and social workers.
After sepsis: what to expect
The effects of sepsis can range from temporary health problems to permanent disability. They can also range from mild to severe, depending on how severe the sepsis was.
If your child has health or other problems after sepsis, they’ll need support to recover and get back to family life, school and other activities. You and your child will probably work with a team of health professionals, who’ll let you know what support your child needs. You can find out more about the health and allied health professionals who might work with your child by searching our A-Z health reference.
Recovery from sepsis can take time, but most children and teenagers improve with support and make progress over days and weeks.
For more information about what to expect after sepsis, you can visit Sepsis Australia – Life after sepsis.
If your child is recovering from sepsis, it’s easy to get caught up in looking after them. But it’s important to look after your own wellbeing and get support for yourself too. If you’re physically and mentally well, you’ll be better able to support your child during their recovery.
Reducing the risk of sepsis
The best ways to reduce your child’s risk of sepsis include immunisation and good hygiene.
Immunisation
Immunisation in childhood and immunisation in the teenage years help to protect your child against some of the bacteria and viruses that can cause sepsis. This includes bacteria like pneumococcus, meningococcus and Haemophilus influenzae type b, and viruses like influenza.
Good hygiene
Good hygiene in childhood and good hygiene in the teenage years includes washing hands regularly, avoiding contact with people who are unwell, and not sharing personal items like drink bottles.