This Teen Died After Using Tampons. Now Her Mom Begs People To Learn About This

#1

She was diagnosed with winter vomiting bug Norovirus.

Indeed her symptoms included flu like symptoms combined with diarrhea, but the diagnosis was incorrect.

#2

Toxic Shock Syndrome is what this mother desperately wants to bring to light after her daughter died from sepsis while she was on her period.

It started when they were on their family holiday. A feeling of sickness came over 13-year-old Jemma-Louise Roberts and then diarrhea set in. She was diagnosed with Norovirus and told to stay away from hospitals. Eventually she was rushed to an infirmary when she began deteriorating at a rapid pace.

There the doctors had a different diagnosis. TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome which is caused by a bacteria which is linked to tampons, which Jemma-Louise used as she was a competitive swimmer and did not want her training interrupted.

After a few different hospital transfers, Jemma-Louise ended up passing away from TSS.

#3

As part of World Sepsis Week, the mother is actively speaking out so other parents can identify the signs of this condition which ended up taking her daughters life.

A high fever which is followed by flu symptoms which may include diarrhea, vomiting and nausea are some of the early symptoms. Also a rash across the body may appear. If TSS is left untreated, it can cause fatal organ failure.

The mother mentions how in the 80's this syndrome was widely talked about, yet now you don't hear about it nearly as much. She hopes to change that as it is clear what can happen when one doesn't pick up on the early symptoms being related to TSS.

#4

The mother says her efforts are thoroughly worth it even if just one other person's life can be saved, while stressing how important it is for father's to recognize this condition and the symptoms related to it, as Jemma's dad had never even heard of TSS before.

Staphylococcus bacteria was found in the blood tests done on Jemma-Louise and this is commonly linked to both TSS and sepsis.

The belief is that TSS caused her daughter's sickness due to the fact that she had been using tampons when the illness struck. She eventually died from brain bleeding while she was on a heart and lung bypass machine. This tragic illness left behind a young female athlete who had hoped to one day teach swimming to younger children.