Dr. Ciara Martin:

For the symptoms of a person with an infection who is developing sepsis, it is hard to unpick one from the other. Some of the key signs of sepsis include a very high heart rate that is not settling or a very high temperature but you can have a very high heart rate and temperature with other illnesses as well. Some patients may have shortness of breath. On the campaign we are running with GPs, paediatricians and emergency staff we are telling them to look at patients with high heart rates, fever, shortness of breath or altered mental status and confusion which can be seen particularly in teenagers. A lot of our emphasis is on how to recognise a sick baby but we also need to know that sick teenagers will have slightly different signs. Pains in the arms and legs would be another sign of sepsis and just that overall feeling of being totally unwell and clammy. Heart rate, breathing and mental confusion would be the main ones and people should look for those signs.