Mum shares jarring meningitis timeline to warn parents to be...

Meningitis is one of the most dangerous illnesses, especially for children, which is why it is so important for us to be vigilant to its signs and symptoms.

This is a message that Sarah Parker wants to highlight for parents everywhere, after her five-year-old daughter Jazmyn’s ordeal.

Jazmyn was struck down with Meningococcal B two years ago, but thankfully Sarah was aware of the tell-tale signs of the illness. Thanks to her vigilance and quick-thinking, Jazmyn’s meningitis was caught early, and she was successfully treated.

It could have ended so differently, though, and Sarah knows this only too well – which is why she has set up a Facebook page – ‘Jazmyn’s Meningococcal B Journey’ – to help other parents.

In her latest post, Sarah shared a timeline of Jazmyn’s early symptoms – to show just how quickly the signature rash can develop and change.

The timeline played out as follows:

9:30am – One spot appeared on Jazmyn’s chest
1:40pm – More spots began to appear on Jazmyn’s body
3:40pm – The spots changed to a rash which spread across Jazmyn’s body
10:30pm – Jazmyn ended up in ICU

The collage is nothing short of frightening, and Sarah admitted that she is constantly reminded of just ‘how lucky’ little Jazmyn was that her doctor ‘picked it up from the first little spot on her chest’.

Explaining the motivation behind her post, Sarah wrote: “I have posted photos of the rash and the stages to show you what the rash looks like and how quickly it changes.

“But, please, remember the rash is normally one of the last symptoms to show.”

Sarah’s post has been gaining attention online, with many people thanking her for sharing her experience and warning with them.

“Thank you for working so hard to create awareness,” wrote one follower. “Because of your campaign, all three of my kids have started their Bexsero courses (it has been so hard to get hold of)”.

It’s so important to know the signs and symptoms of meningitis. These include: