Sepsis remains one of the most common critical illnesses within children. In the UK, despite guidance and national programming being implemented, delays in recognising and treating sepsis in children continue to cause avoidable harm, including, in some tragic cases, catastrophic injuries and even death.

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, and is the body’s own overwhelming immune response to an infection which is followed by a typically dangerous drop in blood pressure and reduced blood flow. This can cause organ dysfunction, multiple organ failure and even death. The typical symptoms associated with sepsis include confusion, dizziness, and difficulty breathing.

It is important to know the red flags, which can include a child being very sleepy or difficult to wake, having breathing difficulties, skin mottling or non-blanching rash, not feeding or not passing urine, and persistent high fever or very low temperature.

In such circumstances, urgent medical attention should be sought but it is then dependant upon medical practitioners to act swiftly. Children can deteriorate rapidly, and therefore hours and even minutes matter.

Why do delays happen?

1. An overlap of symptoms

Young children frequently present with viral illnesses. Early sepsis signs overlap with common self-limiting infections (these being infections that will get better on their own), which makes triage challenging. Clinical signs alone are often insufficient to reliably separate children who are suffering from self-limiting infections from those who are early sepsis.

2. System pressures and access delays

Ambulance and emergency department pressures, long waits for assessment, and delays in obtaining senior review or timely investigations and antibiotics contribute to treatment delays. It is often found that, when staff feel overloaded or pathways are not followed, opportunities for early recognition are missed.

3. Gaps in training and sustainment of programmes

Targeted sepsis incentives and audit programmes in the past improved detection and early treatment in some areas; when those incentives ended or training wasn’t sustained, performance slipped.

4. Communication and family concerns not always being acted on

Families often notice subtle changes in their child before clinicians recognise deterioration. National investigations emphasise listening to families and using their concerns as early warning signals but this is not always the case as families can feel that their concerns are disregarded.

Consequences of delay

Delayed diagnosis and treatment in paediatric sepsis increases the risk of serious injury. This can include septic shock, organ failure, the need for amputations, hearing loss, brain injury resulting in neurodisability, and death. Even when survival occurs, delays can lengthen ICU stays and increase the chance of long-term morbidity.

If you or a loved one has suffered sepsis and you believe that they have suffered a worse outcome due to potential medical negligence, you do not have to face it alone. At Williamsons Solicitors, we specialise in helping individuals pursue justice and secure the compensation they rightfully deserve and have substantial experience in dealing with cases involving sepsis for both adults and children.