Mum’s warning as girl, 13, dies from toxic shock
A TEENAGE swimmer died a week after falling ill with what is thought to be toxic shock syndrome linked to using tampons.
Jemma-Louise Roberts, 13, suffered sickness and diarrhoea while on a family holiday in Wales and was wrongly diagnosed with the winter vomiting bug norovirus.
She was taken to hospital after her condition suddenly worsened and doctors told her parents they believed she had toxic shock syndrome.
The rare but life-threatening bacterial infection is linked to tampons, which Jemma-Louise used so she could continue swimming training during her period.
She was treated at two hospitals before being taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, where she died from a bleed to the brain.
Blood tests before her death showed the presence of the staphylococcus bacteria linked to both the syndrome and sepsis.
A post-mortem examination was not carried out but her mother Diane Roberts believes toxic shock syndrome caused her daughter’s illness as she had been using tampons at the time.
Mrs Roberts, 45, of Wigan, is supporting a drive to highlight the dangers of the syndrome for World Sepsis Day this month.
‘Toxic shock syndrome used to be talked about in the 1980s but you never hear about it now,’ she said. ‘If this can save just one more person, it will be worth it.
‘My husband had never heard of the syndrome. If one dad reads this and his daughter falls ill, it could save her life.’ Early symptoms are a high fever followed by flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
A rash across the body can then appear. If left untreated, the illness can result in fatal organ failure. Toxic shock syndrome is caused by bacteria which normally live harmlessly on the skin and in the nose or mouth.
It strikes when they invade the bloodstream, where they release deadly toxins which damage tissue, including the skin and vital organs.
The syndrome is a medical emergency and anyone believed to be suffering from it must seek help immediately.
Since Jemma-Louise’s death in March last year, friends and family, including father Tony, 43, and brother Joseph, 13, have raised more than £33,000 for Alder Hey.
The teenager was a member of Hindley Swimming Club, the Wigan Youth Concert Band and the Wigan Flute Choir.
Mrs Roberts said: ‘Her passion was teaching swimming to younger children. She always had a smile on her face and loved helping others.’
For more information visit www.worldsepsisday.org.