Sepsis is a medical emergency that needs treatment right away.
When the body gets an infection, the immune
system fights it. Sepsis happens when the immune system goes into overdrive and
attacks the body's own organs and tissues. This can happen when fighting any kind
of infection.
Sepsis can damage the kidneys,
lungs, brain, and heart, and
can even cause death. By knowing the signs of sepsis, parents can get their children
medical attention early, which can help in the treatment.
Top Things to Know About Sepsis:
Sepsis is a medical emergency that needs treatment fast.
Sepsis happens when the immune system goes into overdrive when fighting an infection
and damages the body.
Protect against sepsis by doing what you can to prevent infections:
If your child gets sick and is not getting better, call your doctor or get medical
care. If your child is prescribed antibiotics, give all doses exactly as directed.
Trust your instincts and speak up. You know your child best. If your child seems
sicker than usual to you, or has an infection that doesn't get better or gets worse,
call the doctor or get medical help right away. Ask the doctor, "Could
it be sepsis?"
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Sepsis?
Sepsis can be very hard to identify. Many of its signs are also common in routine
childhood illness. But trust your instincts. If your child seems sicker than usual
or something just doesn't seem right, call the doctor or get emergency
medical care immediately.
Having one of these signs alone doesn't mean a child has sepsis. But when a few
of these things happen together, that's a clue that sepsis is possible:
fever, shivering, or a very low temperature
fast breathing
fast or racing heartbeat, especially if the fever is down
sweaty or blotchy skin
extra sleepiness, trouble waking up, or confusion
complaining of bad pain (babies and very young kids might just cry a lot)
What Causes Sepsis?
Sepsis starts with an infection caused by a germ.
Bacteria,
,
, and parasites all can cause sepsis.
When the body has an infection, it makes chemicals to fight it. Usually those chemicals
stay in the location of the infection. During sepsis, the chemicals get into the bloodstream
and spread, damaging the body's organs.
Who Gets Sepsis?
Sepsis can affect people of any age. It's more common in those who have a higher
chance of getting an infection in the first place, such as:
babies under 3 months; this is also called neonatal sepsis
adults 65 or older
people with
medical conditions
people who just had surgery
those whose immune systems are weakened from conditions such as HIV
or cancer
How Is Sepsis Diagnosed?
No specific test can tell for sure that a patient has sepsis. The medical team
puts together clues from the patient's
, symptoms, a physical exam, and tests to make a sepsis diagnosis.
Tests done can include:
lab tests, like blood tests or urine (pee) tests
radiology tests, like X-rays, an ultrasound, or a CT scan
The tests can look for an infection that could be causing sepsis and to check for
organ damage.
How Is Sepsis Treated?
Sepsis is treated in the hospital, where doctors can closely watch the patient.
Some kids must be in the pediatric
intensive care unit (PICU) for extra monitoring and treatment.
Monitors like a cardiorespiratory monitor and pulse
oximetry watch the heart and breathing. Doctors watch the child's
blood pressure closely. Sometimes a special monitor, called an arterial line
(or a-line for short), measures blood pressure constantly from inside the arteries.
Antibiotics to fight the infection are given through an
(IV) line, which is a small tube put into a vein. Usually, doctors start
right away — even before the diagnosis of sepsis is proven.
Kids also will get fluids through the IV and, if needed, blood pressure medicines
called vasopressors to keep the heart working well. Some kids with
sepsis might need extra blood or to get some parts of blood through the IV. This is
called a transfusion and can help the blood
make clots or carry oxygen better.
Sometimes, a child needs a special IV called a central line. This
bigger IV line goes into a larger vein that can carry the needed medicines and fluids
faster.
Kids with sepsis could need help breathing. If so, doctors give oxygen or might
place a breathing tube and use a ventilator (a machine
that helps with breathing). If the heart and lungs are too sick to get enough oxygen
to the body, the medical team may use a treatment called ECMO
where a machine takes over for the heart and lungs so the body can heal.
Kids with sepsis might have kidney damage and stop making urine (pee). Doctors
use to clean the blood when the kidneys can't do that.
What Else Should I Know?
It's not always possible to prevent sepsis. But preventing infections can help
lower the chances of sepsis.
Here are four ways you can help protect your kids from infection:
Get your kids immunized on the recommended schedule.
Routine vaccines help prevent bacteria and viruses from causing infections that can
lead to sepsis.
Encourage regular hand washing.
Clean any cuts or scrapes well. Keep a close eye on them to be sure they're healing
as expected.
If your child has a medical device (like a
or long-term IV line), follow the doctor's directions for cleaning and
using it.
If your child is sick and is not getting better, call your doctor or get medical
care. If your child is prescribed antibiotics, give all doses exactly as directed.
Most important: If your child seems sicker than normal to you,
or is being treated for an infection that's not getting better or gets worse, trust
your gut and call the doctor or get medical help right away. Ask the doctor, "Could
it be sepsis?"
