Schoolgirl, 14, left paralysed in hospital after collapsing with a bout of tonsillitis

A SCHOOLGIRL was left paralysed in hospital after suffering from tonsillitis.

Emily, 14, began to lose her appetite and developed a cough in January, but her family put her symptoms down to the common illness.

However, by the next morning, the teenager had collapsed and was rushed to A&E.

"We found out that not only was she dealing with tonsillitis, but also Covid and something called mycoplasma," mum Sarah Anderson told EdinburghLive.

Mycoplasma is a bacteria that can infect different parts of the body.

Most infections are mild, but they can cause serious complications.

"Because Emily was already dealing with tonsillitis and Covid, her immune system was so compromised that she then developed double pneumonia," Sarah said.

This then triggered a condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) - a rare disorder that affects the nerves.

Sarah, 49, described the situation as “the perfect storm” as the conditions were all right for GBS to kick in.

The mum said: "We had been having a normal Sunday.

"Emily had been out as we thought she was getting over the tonsillitis, but by tea time, she didn’t feel like eating and had developed a funny cough.

"Then on Monday, Emily collapsed while heading to the bathroom.

"I called 111, and they heard her cough and told us to get to the hospital."

Sarah took Emily to Borders General Hospital in Melrose, Scotland, where she suddenly stopped breathing, so she was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

Doctors were able to stabilise her and diagnosed her with double pneumonia - a serious infection that affects both lungs.

"But they did mention that Emily's body was not behaving or reacting the way they would expect," Sarah, from Kelso, said.

She went to bed that night thinking her daughter was going to be OK.

Emily was still moving, albeit slowly, which she believed was due to her body being weak after multiple infections.

"But in the early hours of that morning, I headed into Emily's room and medics swung round and said, 'She's completely paralysed, her body is shutting down and we don't know why'.

"It was then she received her diagnosis of GBS, and it was a pretty bleak picture after that."

Emily's case was acute and life-threatening. If the medics hadn’t diagnosed her when they did, she wouldn’t have survived

GBS affects the senses, movement, breathing and heart rate and needs urgent treatment in hospital.

Symptoms include tingling, numbness, or pins and needles, followed by muscle weakness, and can result in partial or complete paralysis.

In Emily’s case, she woke up feeling terrible on January 15 - and less than 48 hours later, she was paralysed.

Sarah said: "Emily's case was acute and life-threatening. If the medics hadn’t diagnosed her when they did, she wouldn’t have survived."

The schoolgirl received immunotherapy followed by six courses of plasmapheresis, or plasma exchange.

"That is where all of her blood is flushed out, and they separate the plasma from the blood and replace it with synthetic plasma," Sarah said.

"This is to take away the inflammation markers that her brain was sending to her nervous system to ‘shut down’; then, it was pumped back into her body."

SLOW RECOVERY

After nine days, Emily slowly started to move her eyes - communicating 'yes' and 'no' through her gaze.

She then moved her head, leaving her mum and the nurses in tears.

"That was the first sign of movement, and after that, it was a very gradual thing," Sarah said.

"She was like Sleeping Beauty; it was like watching her body slowly wake up.

"Emily was non-verbal for the first three months in the hospital and had to be fully ventilated until March.

"She learned to communicate through an eye gaze chart, where she would look through letters and spell out words for us, like the machine that Stephen Hawking used.

"Emily was getting tuition in critical care while she was recovering so she could do her school work."

What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare condition that affects the nerves.

About 1,500 people develop it in the UK every year, and it is more common in adults and men.

It's not known exactly what causes GBS, but it's thought to be related to problems with the immune system as it usually begins with a few weeks of an infection, such as flu or a stomach bug.

Normally when you get an infection, your immune system attacks and kills the bacteria or virus.

But in GBS, the immune system starts to attack your nerves.

This can cause symptoms, including:

• Tingling
• Numbness
• Pins and needles
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty moving your joints
• Sharp, shooting pains
• Problems breathing
• Drooping face muscles
• Trouble swallowing or speaking
• Eyesight issues, such as double vision

Some people's symptoms are so severe, they become paralysed and cannot move their legs, arms or face.

GBS is serious and requires urgent treatment in hospital, sometimes for several months.

Most people will be able to walk within six months and recover within a year.

Source: NHS

Despite being happy her daughter could move again, Sarah was devastated at the agony it was causing her.

Every movement translated as pain, as there was no protective covering on her nerves.

"It was very difficult to watch Emily go through it; her body couldn’t process the difference between touch and pain," Sarah added.

"At one point, she was on 21 different drugs to try and manage the pain levels."

Emily was told she would be in hospital for a year, possibly 18 months, with another year's worth of recovery after being discharged.

But miraculously, she walked out one day shy of five months.

"They have no idea how she recovered as fast as she did - doctors said it was a bit of a 'medical miracle'," Sarah said.

"She never quit or gave up. Emily gritted her teeth and just went for it, she is an absolute legend."

'THE VERY WORST SECRET CLUB'

Sarah is raising money for the Ronald McDonald House in Edinburgh, which supported her while her daughter was ill.

"It was like becoming a member of a very worst secret club, and once you do, you are a member for life," she said.

"It’s an insight into a world that to my great shame, I had no idea how challenging it was to have a child in critical care.

"We had to bear witness to some terrible things while in there and we are one of the fortunate families who got to bring our child home.

"The Ronald McDonald House gave me a home for five months, they made sure I was okay on the bad days, and that is why we want to fundraise for the charity.

"We are raising funds to support the critical care unit with additional tech and we want to be able to sponsor a room for a year for another family."

You can donate here.

When to call 999 for adults and children

You should call 999 in life-threatening emergencies.

For adults, this includes:

• Signs of a heart attack (chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness, squeezing)
• Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
• Sudden confusion (doesn't know own name)
• Suicide attempt
• Severe difficulty breathing (unable to speak, choking, gasping)
• Choking
• Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle)
• Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
• Seizure
• Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue)

For children, this includes:

• Seizure
• Choking
• Difficulty breathing (grunting noises, stomach sucking under rib cage)
• Unable to stay awake (can't keep eyes open for more than a few seconds)
• Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips
• Limp and floppy (head falls to the side, backwards or forwards)
• Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle)
• Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
• Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
• Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue)
• Sudden confusion (agitation, odd behaviour, non-stop crying)

Source: NHS