THE mum of a 10-year-old pupil at a borough school has made an impassioned plea from her son's hospital bedside for parents to keep a close eye on their children's health and not assume that youth alone is an antidote to Covid-19 or its after effects.

And she has issued a stark warning to parents that avoiding Covid altogether should be the driving force as they protect their children. In short, she says, prevention is better than cure!

The mum, whose child attends Graham James Primary Academy in Corringham, wrote: "I'm sitting writing at my son's bedside in ICU at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

"He has pediatric multi-inflammatory syndrome from having Covid-19. He was rushed to hospital with a temp of 40.8°C and a heart rate of 180bpm.

"He caught Covid at school last term but showed no symptoms. The doctors are seeing this response three or four weeks post COVID in about two in every 10,000 children.

"My son's heart is damaged, his immune system is attacking his own body and he needs constant intravenous adrenalin to maintain blood pressure.

"If your child has a high temperature after having Covid get them to the doctor and say you want to check for PIMS-TS.

"Other symptoms include but not limited to: lightheadedness, not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, and a high resting heart rate.

"Blood culture will show infection in blood (sepsis). This would be fatal so the quicker you get your child seen the better! My son is improving thanks to the remarkable people working at GOSH. I cannot thank them enough.

"My partner and I have been beside ourselves these last three days and it's unthinkable what might have happened without their immediate intervention in treating our son.

"They predict he could be out of ICU in a few days if he keeps improving at this rate. But please everyone, protect your children because one in 5,000 isn't the best odds.

"I never thought something like this could happen to my healthy boy. These are kids on this ward who haven't responded to treatment and there are more arriving daily.

"This is getting out of control."

Since the mum wrote that piece Thurrock Nub News has checked on the boy's condition and we are delighted to report he is out of ICU now and doing a lot better."