What is sepsis?

Sepsis is caused by the way the body responds to an infection. The infection can happen anywhere in the body. For example, a chest or urinary infection, or problems in the abdomen like burst ulcers, or even simple skin injuries like cuts and bites. Sepsis is sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning. 

How dangerous is sepsis?

It is a life-threatening condition which makes the immune system go into overdrive as it tries to fight the infection. This can reduce the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, eventually leading to multiple organ failure and possibly death. 

How to spot symptoms of sepsis in adults and older children?

Symptoms of sepsis in adults and older children can include slurred speech, confusion, dizziness, or fainting, extreme shivering or muscle pain, and not passing urine over the past 24 hours. Other signs may be severe breathlessness or rapid breathing, mottled, pale, or discoloured skin, and a feeling of being “sicker than ever before.” It’s important to note that not all of these symptoms may be present.

How to spot symptoms of sepsis in infants and younger children?

Symptoms of sepsis in infants and younger children can include not feeding, repeated vomiting, and not passing urine for more than 12 hours. The infants skin may be mottled, discoloured, blue, or pale or present with a rash that doesn’t fade when you roll a glass over it. Seizures or fits, severe breathlessness or rapid breathing, and the child not responding or behaving as they normally do could also be signs of sepsis. They may also seem very lethargic, be difficult to wake, or feel abnormally cold to the touch.