Meningitis killed four-year-old Grimsby girl in 'one-in-a-million chance'

"OUR lives were completely changed in 48 hours – now we want other parents to be aware and to seek medical advice wherever possible.”

The words of Natalie German, 25, whose daughter Jayde lost her life to a rare form of meningitis at the age of 4 in 2011.

It is not known how the little girl – who had her vaccinations against the disease – contracted the virus, but it is thought it started off as a normal childhood sickness bug which manifested in her bloodstream as meningitis overnight, in what doctors described as a “one-in-a-million chance”.

For Natalie and her husband David, 25, of Grimsby – who have two other children – their lives were turned upside-down in a matter of days, but they now urge all parents to seek medical advice, no matter how minor their child’s illness seems.

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Natalie said: “Jayde had all the signs of a 24-hour sickness bug. I never thought about meningitis as she showed no signs of it until it was too late.

“I am straight to the doctor’s if my other two children become ill but the GP understands and would rather me get advice than do nothing. I now know that symptoms of meningitis can be similar to a cold but even if we acted upon it sooner, Jayde’s condition was so rare that there was little doctors could have done.

“But this does not mean that meningitis in other children cannot be picked up quickly and treated.”

More advice for parents on meningitis in today's Your Life: Your Health supplement in your Grimsby Telegraph.

For more advice and information on meningitis, visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

The Meningitis Trust have a free signs and symptoms application available to download onto the iPhone and Android phone. Visit www.meningitisapp.co.uk – plus details of a new vaccine that’s a step closer to fighting meningitis in the UK at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/health

meanwhile, a highly anticipated vaccine (Bexsero) to protect against meningococcal group B disease (MenB) has been given a ‘positive opinion’ by the Committee for Medical Products, taking it one step closer to potentially being made available in the UK.

The Meningitis Trust branded the development as “the most significant step forward in the fight against meningitis in recent years” and is keen to see the vaccine licensed and introduced into the Childhood Immunisation Schedule.

However, even if this new vaccine is introduced, people are still not protected from all types of meningitis, so need to remain vigilant.

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