A baby died of sepsis just hours after his parents spotted a purple rash under his arm while changing his nappy.
Arthur Keeling, aged just 14 months, was playing with his twin sisters Martha and Nancy at their home in Silverdale, Staffordshire, when he got a slight temperature and became tired.
His parents gave him some Calpol but noticed the rash and called 111, prompting an ambulance to rush the baby to hospital on blue lights.
Doctors battled to save Arthur, but he soon took a dramatic turn for the worse and died just hours after the rash was first spotted.
Arthur Keeling, 14 months old, died of sepsis just hours after his parents spotted a purple rash under his arm
His heartbroken parents Georgia, 22, and Darren, 27, have now paid tribute to their ‘perfect little boy’.
Darren said: ‘They sent an ambulance to us. The paramedics took him to hospital on blue lights. He just wasn’t strong enough to pull through. The doctors fought for at least one-and-a-half hours to save him in intensive care.’
At Royal Stoke University Hospital, doctors discovered Arthur had sepsis and the infection spread rapidly.
He had fluids pumped into him and was put on a machine to help him breathe, with doctors having to revive him several times with CPR.
They couldn’t save the baby and Arthur died on January 14.
He and his family got to say their final goodbyes at The Donna Louise hospice.
They are now raising funds for the hospice and have so far collected more than £1,000.
Another GoFundMe page has also been set up by Arthur’s uncle Dan to help cover the funeral costs.
Arthur, who had been a healthy baby up until he developed sepsis, had a happy nature according to his family.
His heartbroken parents Georgia, 22, and Darren, 27, have now paid tribute to their ‘perfect little boy’, pictured with his sisters Martha and Nancy
Darren, a customer services worker, said: ‘He could brighten up anyone’s day. He had a cheeky smile on his face that said it all. We used to call him a little chunky monkey.
‘He was too perfect. He would sleep all through the night. He loved his food and was always happy.’
Darren and Georgia, 22, are now trying to come to terms with their son’s death.
Their twin daughters, two-year-old Martha and Nancy, have also been missing their brother.
Darren said: ‘They know Arthur isn’t here and they ask for him. They say ”he’s in the sky”. I’m grateful my daughters aren’t that age to go through all that emotional knowing.’
The family now hope to raise awareness of sepsis so other parents look for tell-tale signs.
Symptoms can include a child’s skin being abnormally cold to touch, a mottled or bluish appearance, a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed, lethargy, vomiting and rapid breathing.
Darren will be attending today’s Stoke City match against Preston North End today, where he will be wearing a specially designed ‘Arthur 1 son’ shirt.
Stoke fans are planning a round of applause for Arthur in the 14th minute.
The timing marks both the day he died and his 14 months of life.
Dan Keeling is also involved in the efforts to raise awareness of sepsis in his nephew’s memory.
Dan, 29, said: ‘If I can give you anything to take away from this experience, it’s that you simply must follow your gut.
‘There was, unfortunately, nothing they could have done to help him.. In the space of five hours, he was gone.’
To visit the fundraising page in Arthur’s memory, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/for-the-family-and-Donna-louise