South Australian mother Tiffany Henderson knows all too well how quickly meningococcal disease can become life-threatening.
In a matter of minutes, her seven-month-old daughter Violet went from having purple-tinged lips to lying limp. Dr Margie Danchin, pediatrician said, “Many parents will ecognise meningococcal by its distinctive rash – which is actually a sign of septicaemia, or blood poisoning. But it’s usually not the first sign that a child is unwell.”
The parents fully support the state’s new Australia-first program to offer free vaccines for meningococcal B for babies and children, beginning in October. They said it should be already in effect.

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