Signs & Symptoms of Sepsis in Children

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a serious, life-threatening condition. It occurs when the body responds to an infection, causing damage to organs like the lungs, kidneys and heart. Sepsis can occur in any child but it’s more likely to present in children who are currently experiencing an infection or an open wound, in the hospital, have undergone a recent surgery or have an already weakened immune system.

Severe sepsis occurs in more than 80,000 U.S. children annually. So what should parents and caregivers look for if they suspect their child has sepsis? 

Sepsis Symptoms in Children

Symptoms of sepsis can look like other common illnesses depending on the underlying infection and the severity of the condition. Some common symptoms may include:

• Fever of 101.5 or higher
• Low blood pressure
• Fast heart rate
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Irritable or confused
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Less interest in playing or feeding
• Getting sicker fast

When to Seek Medical Care

Elizabeth Alpern, MD, Division Head for Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Lurie Children’s, states “Sepsis can affect any child, progresses quickly, and is difficult to diagnose. Children may have subtle signs of infection including fever, high heart rate, or not acting themselves. Early recognition and treatment can be lifesaving. If you are concerned about your child, we want to know - we work best together as a team to identify and treat sepsis.” 

Time is of the essence as sepsis can progress quickly. Contact your child’s healthcare team and communicate your concerns using specific words like, “I am concerned this may be sepsis.” 

Can sepsis be prevented?

Washing your hands and keeping wounds clean are two main ways to help prevent sepsis. Maintaining an up-to-date vaccination schedule also helps with prevention. It is even more important for those with chronic conditions to take good care of themselves, especially cleaning wounds with soap and water and keeping them covered if they break the skin. 

How is sepsis treated in children?

Sepsis is treated with antibiotics once the infection is known and other medications to support the organs that are not working properly.

Sepsis Treatment at Lurie Children's

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is part of a national effort supported by The Children’s Hospital Association to improve patient care delivery through better prevention, detection, and treatment of sepsis. The Sepsis Team at Lurie Children’s Hospital is working to improve care delivery across the care continuum through staff education, patient and family education, clinical care guidelines, and improvement in diagnostic practices. Kimberly Denicolo, RN, and Rebecca Stephen, MD, two of the leaders involved with Lurie Children’s Sepsis Team, note that a multi-disciplinary, interdepartmental collaboration is required to create effective sepsis response systems throughout the organization. Lurie Children’s sepsis team includes physicians, nurses, quality improvement and patient safety experts, data analytics and informatics specialists, pharmacists and hospital administration.

Learn more about sepsis in the video below.

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