A Scots boy with a ‘wheezy’ chest was left fighting for life after an invasive Strep A infection caused his lung to suddenly collapse. Jamie Guthrie, from St Monans, Fife, underwent emergency surgery after developing necrotising pneumonia in January 2023.
The four-year-old’s life was saved by a hero medic at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy who suspected the strep infection had invaded his tiny body. Instead of waiting 48 hours for the test results before beginning treatment, the consultant immediately started him on an intensive course of antibiotics.
But Jamie’s condition continued to worsen with mum Lynsey’s ‘maternal instinct’ telling her something was wrong. A chest x-ray revealed the youngster’s lung had collapsed and he was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.
He had a drain fitted into his lung but medics warned they would need to wait to see if the necrotic liquid had left any lasting damage. Jamie, who later developed a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotics, spent a total of 44 days in between both hospitals but is now thankfully recovering well.
Mum-of-two Lynsey, 29, told the Record: “It was just the most traumatic time for all of us and we’re still trying to process everything that happened. He’s always struggled with his chest so when I noticed him wheezing, I took him to the doctor as a precaution.
Join the Daily Record’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
“They said to get him checked at the hospital who said he was stable and sent us how with a ‘wheeze management plan’ as normal. He seemed to pick up a bit over the next two days.
“But the next morning, we woke up to Jamie screaming hysterically. He was absolutely boiling hot to the touch and had a fever just under 40.
“We called the hospital but within minutes, he deteriorated even further. He was working really hard to breathe, his stomach was contracting and he started getting drowsy.
“We jumped straight into the car and drove as fast as we could to the hospital. He was dipping in and out of consciousness on the way.”
Medics discovered Jamie had RSV – a common virus among children – and kept him overnight. But he was diagnosed with pneumonia the following morning.
An experienced consultant suspected the then three-year-old may have invasive Strep A and immediately began treating him.
Lynsey added: “Thank God that we were in the hospital when he deteriorated so they caught it immediately and that his doctor didn’t wait. She literally saved his life. If they’d waited 48 hours for the results to come back, he would not have been here.”
Days later, Lynsey said her ‘maternal instinct’ kicked in on Jamie’s fourth birthday as he became even more poorly. A chest x-ray then revealed his lung had collapsed before having a drain fitted at the hospital in Edinburgh.
It was then found to be necrotic with the liquid ‘eating away’ at the organ. Jamie was eventually transferred back to the Victoria Hospital to continue his antibiotics but the day before he was due to be discharged, developed an itchy red rash.
Lynsey added: “Straight away, I just knew we weren’t going anywhere. Within two days, his entire body was covered. It was angry and almost so red that it looked purple.
“He had to come off his antibiotics because it could have caused anaphylactic shock. He was still due to get three weeks of it as he was only halfway through the course.
“So he became unwell again, the infection in his chest started to get worse. That’s when they said we’d be better off going back to Edinburgh where they have specialists for antibiotics and infectious diseases.”
Jamie was eventually allowed home on February 21, 2023, with his mum, dad Graeme, 29, and big brother Jack, six, now raising funds to refurbish the Victoria Hospital’s parent room.
Lynsey added: “The reason we wanted to fundraise is because when someone literally saves your child’s life, there is never going to be enough to show them how grateful you are.
“All the staff at the hospital went absolutely above and beyond for Jamie, from decorating his room for his birthday to making sure the rest of the family were okay.” To donate to the fundraiser, please click here.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
