Fitness guru Deliciously Ella spent night in A&E with daughter in Strep A scare after she ‘had signs’ of deadly bug
FITNESS guru Deliciously Ella spent a night in A&E after her daughter “had signs” of deadly Strep A.
The vegan food writer, real name Ella Mills, told how she raced her youngster to hospital after spotting “a rash”.
But after a seven hour ordeal the 31-year-old mum-of-two said it was a false alarm.
In a touching Instagram post she praised “absolute angels” NHS staff for their kindness following the Tuesday morning ordeal.
It is not clear which of her kids had the health scare, but medics sent her home with antibiotics, MailOnline reported.
The Strep A panic comes as nine kids are now reported to have died of the disease in the UK.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) – is also known as Streptococcus pyogenes.
It is a bacteria that in most cases, will cause mild illnesses.
This can include sore throats and skin infections, alongside tonsillitis, cellulitis, and scarlet fever, which is flu-like and tends to occur in children – it can be serious if not treated swiftly with antibiotics.
Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria called group A streptococci.
These bacteria also cause other respiratory and skin infections such as Strep throat and impetigo (a very contagious infection that starts with blistered skin).
The four signs of Strep A you need to know
There are four key signs of Group Strep A to watch out for, according to the NHS. These are
- A fever (meaning a high temperature above 38°C)
- Severe muscle aches
- Localised muscle tenderness
- Redness at the
Almost all the kids who have died were primary school age.
They include tiny Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, four, from High Wycombe, Bucks., and little Stella-Lily McCorkindale, five, from Northern Ireland.
Seven-year-old Hanna Roap’s condition began with just a mild cough but she rapidly deteriorated and tragically died within 24-hours.
The lockdown is being blamed for the outbreak because children were shuttered away — creating a lower immunity to infections.
GP Dr Rachel Ward, of Woodlands Medical Centre, Didco, explained the science behind the disease.
She said: “Most commonly Strep A infections cause throat infections – causing sore throat with fever, or skin infections.
“It also causes scarlet fever where fever and sore throat is accompanied by a rough rash on the body, strawberry looking tongue and red cheeks.
“In more serious invasive infections, people will experience fever, severe aches and possibly muscle tenderness in one area with skin changes.
“There can also be unexplained vomiting and diarrhoea. This is an emergency and you should seek medical help immediately.”
STREP A advice to parents
Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:
- Your child is getting worse.
- Your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
- Your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
- Your baby is under three months old and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than three months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher.
- Your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty.
- Your child is very tired or irritable.
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- Your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
- There are pauses when your child breathes
- Your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
- Your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
Source: NHS