Baby Izabelle is allowed home after beating killer virus

The family of Izabelle Bailey say they were told the youngster had chickenpox when she was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital in South Shields on April 7.

However, mum Bethany Brunton felt there was something more seriously wrong with her daughter so she took her back the following day.

Doctors then carried out a lumbar puncture and blood tests and discovered the tot had meningitis B plus septicaemia and she was transferred to Sunderland Royal where she spent nine days in hospital.

An investigation has now been launched into the circumstances surrounding Izabelle’s initial diagnosis at the hospital in Harton Lane.

Meanwhile Bethany is urging parents to get their babies immunised with the Meningitis B vaccination, which was added to the childhood immunisation programme on September 1 last year and offered to babies born on or after May 1 2015 - meaning baby Izabelle missed out by 13 days.

Izabelle was officially discharged from hospital on Sunday - her first birthday.

Bethany, 17, from Harton Nook, South Shields, said: “We’re so grateful she’s back home with us.

“She was allowed out of hospital late on Saturday night so she could wake up at home on Sunday morning which was her first birthday.

“She had a brilliant day, despite being poorly and then we had to take her back in the afternoon for he final dose of antibiotics before she was officially discharged. She’s still not her normal self just yet, she’s got an upset tummy at the moment and is being sick a lot, but she’s getting there..

“Izabelle missed out on the vaccination by a matter of days, due to her being born just before the cut off point.

“If she’s had that injection then we probably wouldn’t have had to go through all of this. So I would urge other parents to get their babies vaccinated, it’s just horrible.”

Izabelle has spend the last week being pumped with antibiotics in a bid to rid her body of the virus, which can be life threatening if left untreated.

Bethany and dad Nathan Bailey will now need to take her for regular check ups to make sure the virus hasn’t caused any lasting damage.

Meanwhile the hospital investigation is ongoing.

Bethany said: “I think in another week she will be back to normal.

“I have received one letter from the hospital to say that my complaint is being looked in to, that’s all I’ve heard so far.

“I am just so glad I took her back the following day else I don’t know where we’d be right now.”