Sepsis is a clinical syndrome arising as due to the body's inflammatory response to an infection resulting in the compromise of multiple organ systems. It is a medical emergency and carries a high morbidity and mortality rate.

Risk factors

Risk factors for sepsis include:

• Age less than 1 year
• Impaired immune function (e.g. diabetes, splenectomy, immunosuppressed, cancer treatment)
• Recent surgery in the last six weeks
• Breach of skin integrity (burns/cuts/skin infections)
• Presence of an indwelling catheter or line

PC

Sepsis in children can present in a number of ways, many of which are non-specific, as a result of systemic inflammatory response to suspected or proven infection.

Symptoms in children with sepsis may include:

• Generally feeling unwell
• Lethargy
• Poor social interaction
• Altered conscious level
• Continuous crying in babies
• Pale or mottled skin
• Rash