A FATHER who lost his child to meningitis has delivered a powerful message to Swindon parents – don’t take any chances or be afraid to challenge the experts.

Scottie Kern and his wife Asana’s baby Cailan was only diagnosed with the illness two hours before he died, aged 11 months, at the Great Western Hospital.

Now Mr Kern, 38, of Pioneer Road, Oakhurst, is urging other parents to ask for a second opinion if their child displays symptoms.

Mr Kern, a biologist, has for three years been working on a new more comprehensive meningitis vaccine – one he believes, had it been available, might have helped save Cailan.

He said: “Anything we can do to draw a positive from something like this is a necessary thing to do.”

The family first noticed Cailan was not himself on their return from holiday on May 10 last year and assumed he had a stomach bug.

Despite trips to the doctors, meningitis was not diagnosed as it has the same symptoms as other illnesses, making it hard to pick up.

On the night of May 12, Cailan’s condition deteriorated dramatically and he was taken to hospital and given intravenous antibiotics but died the next day.

Mr Kern said: “People tell you you go numb and that’s true. We had to bury our son.

“Short of losing your entire family I can’t think of many things that would be worse for a parent to deal with.”

Cailan had contracted pneumococcal disease, but died from meningitis strain 19A.

When Mr Kern was told it was meningitis he said it all made sense because it had been something in his mind throughout.

He said: “Having been in that industry and learned about the disease, it kind of added up.

“It was clear he was very sick, it didn’t need to be told to me that he was in a bad way.”

In his job, Mr Kern has been working on the new vaccine Prevenar 13, which becomes available to GP surgeries nationally tomorrow as part of the National Infant Immunisation Schedule.

Mr Kern said: “I work for the company that makes the vaccine and worked on that very vaccine – that was the toughest thing for me.”

Now he is focusing his efforts on raising awareness on behalf of the Meningitis Trust, particularly with parents in his community.

On Monday he organised a day of awareness at his five-year-old son Sami’s school, Oakhurst Primary, with a talk for parents.

He said that meningitis has become the word every parent dreads but, rather than avoiding the issue, they should know what to look for.

And he is urging them to get their children vaccinated and not take ‘no’ for an answer if they believe that there is something wrong with their child.

“Parents should never be afraid to challenge,” he said.

For more information or advice from the Meningitis Trust call the 24-hour nurse-led helpline on 0800 028 18 28, or visit website www.meningitis-trust.org.

Watch out for these symptoms

MENINGITIS is inflammation of the meninges – the linings that surround and protect the brain – can be caused by many different organisms, and vaccines are the only way to prevent it.

Meningococcal bacteria can cause both meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning), together known as meningococcal disease.

Symptoms among babies and toddlers include fever, cold hands and feet, refusing food, vomiting, pale blotchy skin, fretful, dislike of being handled, drowsy or difficult to wake, rapid breathing or grunting and an unusual cry.

Symptoms among children and adults include fever, cold hands and feet, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion and irritability, severe muscle pain, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, severe headache, stiff neck and dislike of bright lights.

A rash that does not fade under pressure – you can press a glass firmly on the skin to test this – is a sign of meningococcal septicaemia. This rash may begin as a few small spots anywhere on the body and can spread quickly to look like fresh bruises.

But if a child is sick parents should not wait for a rash to appear before seeking medical help.