Baby with 'worst case of meningitis in 25 years' may lose sight, hearing
A baby girl faces losing her sight and hearing after she contracted the "worst case of meningitis seen in 25 years".
Not only has Kia Gott had to have all her limbs amputated but she could be left severely brain damaged after she contracted the C strain of the disease.
While her parents are "in bits", they're pulling it together for their other children and for Kia, the Mirror reports.
Kia, who lives in England, contracted the rare strain in September with doctors telling the family it's the worst case of the condition they have seen in 25 years.
They amputated her limbs in a bid to save her life.
Her aunt Donna Gott, 44, says her traumatised parents, Paul, a 35-year-old self-employed window fitter, and Vikki, 30, are struggling to come to terms with the full extent of her illness.
Kia was just nine months old when she first fell ill and had been only months away from being given the Meningitis C vaccine on her first birthday.
“She went into hospital on September 23 and the first amputation was about three weeks after that," Donna said.
“Initially medics thought she had suffered 90 per cent brain damage and was deaf and blind but we think she may have some hearing and they did a light test on her eyes and it’s possible she may have some vision.
“Paul and Vikki are in bits but they have two other children so are having to stay strong for them.”
A fundraising page was started for the family to help ease financial pressures during Kia's treatment.
Kia will be in the high dependency unit for at least three months and is at risk of sepsis - a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection or injury.
“She needs multiple skin grafts, has had some already, faces months of rehabilitation and is on stronger drugs than heroin at the moment," Donna said.
“I have been to see her and it is very upsetting. She looks like a little teddy bear in her bed.
“But her soul is still there with her little eyes looking out at you.”
The family is also hoping people will support an online petition aimed at forcing discussion in the UK Parliament as to what age the meningitis vaccine should be administered to children.
Over 3,000 people have signed it but they need at least 10,000 signatures.
Anyone can sign the petition here.
