Grieving mum: Don’t delay with sick kids
Northland 7-year-old Alexis is one of six people to die of meningitis as cases double
Two purple footprints on a piece of pink paper are at the centre of a colourful wall of artwork and school certificates.
They belong to Alexis Albert and the wall of the Hikurangi home celebrates the achievements and life of the 7-year-old who died of meningococcal disease in July.
Through tears, mum Rowshae Albert is clear about the message she wants parents to hear.
“Don’t hesitate, you don’t have time. If your child is complaining of a headache and a stiff neck take them to the doctor or hospital as soon as possible,” the mother of four urged.
“Tell the doctors you want them tested for meningococcal. Kids are just so vulnerable.”
As the 32-year-old strokes a lock of Alexis’ black hair in a memory book prepared by nurses at Starship children’s hospital, she wishes Northland health authorities had issued early warnings about the rise of the disease.
“I lost my baby and that might have been prevented if they had alerted the community and warned people of the signs and that meningococcal was possibly on the rise.”
Northland District Health Board has defended itself against claims it kept quiet for six months, rather than warn the public about a potential super-strain of the meningococcal disease.
An in-house memo was sent out by the board’s microbiologist, David Hammer, in May and warned staff to get their own young children immunised with one of the newer vaccines.
The memo told medical staff that in one week, two patients in unrelated cases had what was thought to be the virulent meningococcal strain called MenW or W ST-11. But no general health messages were made to the community and since then three Northland people had died, including Alexis.
The number of cases of W meningococcal disease has doubled in the past 12 months. There have been 24 cases this year and six deaths, half of them in Northland.
Albert said more education was needed around the symptoms of the disease and about vaccinations.
“It’s been a huge storm for me and my family. We’re still coming to terms with losing our baby but we are getting stronger and gaining strength. So many people in the community have helped us, it’s been amazing.”
In July, Alexis came home complaining of a headache. It was the middle of winter and there were plenty of colds and bugs flying around at school.
Alexis had just recovered from a tummy bug a few weeks earlier.
Albert hydrated her daughter, gave her paracetamol and kept her home from school. Two days later she started vomiting and had diarrhoea.
The next morning, Albert noticed bruising on Alexis’ face and back and knew something was seriously wrong. She rushed her to Whanga¯rei Hospital.
“I carried her in my arms and the doctors straight away said it was meningococcal.”
Alexis was flown to Starship, with her mother watching as her daughter deteriorated quickly.
“It happened so fast,” Albert said, breaking down in tears.
The disease “engulfed” Alexis as she lost the function in her hands and feet.
“She was a fighter. They had to resuscitate her five times in Starship but eventually her body gave up.”
Six days earlier the family had celebrated Alexis’ 7th birthday at Pataua.
“She went fishing and caught two fish, kahawai I think. On that day she gathered up oysters and pips for us. We had a great day,” her mother remembers.
They celebrated with a birthday cake and jumping off the Pataua footbridge.
“Alexis always pushed herself to the limit, she loved jumping off that bridge.” Northern Advocate