Fighting pneumococcal disease: A mother’s vigilance leads to a life-saving diagnosis

Shiva Motlagh-Elbakri's nightmare began in June 2022 when she took her four-month-old daughter, Mytilini, to the hospital with grave concerns.

Mytilini had been recovering from a prolonged bout of RSV when she suddenly seemed unwell again. She became extremely irritable, developed high fevers, and would arch her back and stiffen whenever her mother tried to place her in the pram or change her nappy.

Shiva, a former medical interpreter, recognised these as telltale signs of meningitis.

After a brief examination, including a urine test and the administration of paracetamol, hospital staff assured Shiva that Mytilini was simply suffering from a viral infection. They explained that without a bulging fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby’s head) – a sign often observed in late-stage meningitis in infants – there was no cause for alarm. 

Though reassured by the doctors, Shiva felt instinctively that something was wrong. She took her daughter home after discharge, but over the next 48 hours, Mytilini’s condition worsened. Shiva’s heart sank when she noticed her daughter’s fontanelle bulging "like an egg."

Rushing her back to the hospital, the Brisbane mum received the devastating news that Mytilini had meningitis and a blood infection caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

Mytilini spent 12 days in the hospital, receiving IV antibiotics that ultimately saved her life.

Reflecting on her daughter’s narrow escape, Shiva expressed profound gratitude but also frustration.

“I will always be thankful for the doctors who saved my little girl’s life, but I wish it never had to get so bad in the first place,” she said.

Shiva hopes that by raising awareness of pneumococcal disease, families and healthcare professionals will be vigilant for its signs and take swift action.