A 12-year-old boy has been left fighting for his life after contracting a severe case of the flu that led to a blood infection.
Caleb Logan, from Brisbane, told his parents that he had a sore throat in July this year, which the doctors thought was simply viral.
Only days later, he was needing a machine so that he could breathe.
‘I was so scared, I was terrified,’ Caleb told Seven News about his sudden deterioration.
12-year-old boy, Caleb Logan, (pictured) was left fighting for his life after contracting a severe case of the flu that led to a blood infection
Caleb Logan, from Brisbane, told his parents that he had a sore throat in July this year, which the doctors thought was simply viral
Caleb was diagnosed with influenza B and sepsis and due to the risk of his organs shutting down he was put in an induced coma.
‘We were told that we had to prepare ourselves, the next 24 to 48 hours were critical and that he may not make it through the night, just from a simple cold,’ his mother Rachel said.
Now his parents want to warn others about the dangers of sepsis and how it has the potential to kill healthy children in hours.
Caleb was diagnosed with influenza B and sepsis and due to the risk of his organs shutting down he was put in an induced coma
Sepsis develops when the immune system releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight an infection but instead causes inflammation throughout the entire body.
Due to the symptoms being flu-like it is difficult for people to pick up on the disease, often knowing something is wrong when it’s almost too late.
Caleb’s story is almost identical to the story of 14-year-old Mercedes King, whose condition at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital has now been changed from critical to stable.
Sepsis develops when the immune system releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight an infection but instead causes inflammation throughout the entire body
Mercedes King went to bed feeling a little sick on August 30. However, by 3am the next day she was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
Due to her condition, equipment was flown in to keep her alive and when she was in a stable condition she was flown to Brisbane with her mum by her side.
Doctors have since confirmed Mercedes has influenza B, pneumonia, sepsis and an unidentified bacterial infection.