Toddler, 2, left fighting for life after holiday swim as she was infected with THREE strains of deadly bacteria
Medics now fear the two-year-old may suffer permanent brain or kidney damage after the infection ravaged her tiny body.
2
"It blows our minds because we've never even heard of anything like this ever happening," Suzanne Faircloth, the girl's mum, said.
Elizabeth had been swimming and boating at Oklahoma's Keystone Lake with her family in early June when she started feeling unwell.
At first, doctors thought it was strep throat and gave her antibiotics.
But the meds only aggravated the infection, the mum told KOTV.
Some time later, the family were told Elizabeth had tested positive for three different strains of E. coli bacteria.
This led to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) - a rare life-threatening complication from E. coli. It can cause severe kidney failure, liver damage, and brain injury.
"It's a nightmare," Suzanne said. "And it happened so fast, within like a week, we're here."
The toddler is now on dialysis and has been medically paralysed to give her the best shot at recovery, according to her aunt Melissa Lynne.
This means doctors have used drugs to temporarily stop her muscles from moving, helping her body rest while she fights the infection.
Melissa wrote in a social media post last week that Elizabeth's kidneys have been 'most severely' impacted.
Food Standards Agency explains E Coli
'Although the prognosis is hopeful, it will be a very long battle to get her well again, and it's uncertain if she will ever recover 100 per cent or if there will be permanent kidney and/or brain damage," she added.
Elizabeth is also now battling an infection in her lungs, but doctors can't give her antibiotics as it could worsen her condition, the family said in a Facebook post on Monday.
"They are working night and day, the staff is amazing, just to keep her stable,' Suzanne added.
'It kind of feels like you're drowning and you get brief moments of air just enough to keep you alive, but there's no end in sight."
The family have launched a GoFundMe in Elizabeth's name, which has so far raised $8,248 (£6.6K) of its $10K goal (£8K).
What are the symptoms of an E. coli infection?
Escherichia coli O157, sometimes called STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli), is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure.
The NHS lists the symptoms as:
Diarrhoea
Stomach cramps
Occasionally fever
About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea.
People usually notice symptoms three to four days after they' ve been infected.
But symptoms can start any time between one and 14 days afterwards.
These symptoms can last up to two weeks.
A small number of people with E. coli O157 infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).
Symptoms of HUS include:
Peeing less
Tiredness
Swelling
Bruising
This can sometimes lead to kidney failure and death, although this is rare.
The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years.
Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms.
Speak to your GP if you or your child has diarrhoea and:
It's particularly frequent or severe
It lasts for more than seven days
A severe or continuous stomach ache
Weight loss
Have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
Have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy
If you or your child has bloody diarrhoea contact your GP practice and ask for an urgent appointment or call NHS 111
'[We] just can't imagine another child fighting for their life or parents living through this hell, when we could have warned families,' they wrote.
'Stay vigilant parents and get your kids in early if symptoms arise after a lake day.'
'The faster you get your kids in, the better the odds.'
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