Christopher Cole Bowen Analysis
May 12th, 2000. This was the day that marked the birth of my first little boy, Christopher Cole Bowen. He was a healthy7lb. 3oz. bundle of joy! He was perfect or so we thought. We brought him home on Mother’s day. He was doing so well. We had a wonderful week, our first week at home with our new baby boy. That Thursday night we put him down for the night and went to sleep expecting him to get up in a couple of hours to eat. The next thing I knew it was 8:00am and he had not gotten up during the night at all to eat. We woke him up to feed him, but he didn’t eat very much. My mother’s instinct just told me something was not right. After calling the doctor’s office several times throughout the day and the nurse telling me he was fine, give him a bath, he will eat when he gets hungry. I got fed
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up and called and asked to speak to the doctor immediately…after telling him what was going onhe told me to meet him at his office right then. We drove as fast as we could to the doctor’s office.
When we arrived Dr. Haddock picked Cole up out of the car seat and literally ran across the street to the emergency room with him. He knew exactly what it was when he picked him up out of the car. Cole had contracted spinal meningitis from bacteriacalled group b strep. He tried his very best to fight off the infection but 25 days later he passed away. Today I am going to give you some very important information about these deadly bacteria. Although Group B Strep is a very common bacteria it is important that we understand what it is, the signs and symptoms, and the treatment and prognosis to take the necessary steps to “save the babies”. By being aware of Group B Strep you could save hundreds of children, maybe even your own child. So what is this bacterium called Group B Strep and what are some of the problems it causes? Group B Streptococcus, also known as GBS or Group B Strep, is a common bacterium thatcan cause serious illnesses and as I told you earlier even death. Group B Strep is a gram positive cocci shaped bacteria. This pathogen emerged in the 1970’s as the most common cause of sepsis, or blood infections, in
newborns. About half of all the cases of Group B Strep disease among newborns happen in the first week of life most of them in the first few hours. This type is called early onset. The most common problems associated with GBS are Sepsis, Pneumonia, and meningitis, which is an infection of the fluid and lining around the brain. The lesser common type GBS disease develops one week to several months after birth. This is considered to be late onset. Meningitis is the more prevalent problem associated with the late onset GBS. Now that you are aware of what GBS is let me tell you where it lies, how you come in contact with it and how common it is. It is a common misconception that Group B Strep is a sexually transmitted disease. It is not. It is not food born or air born. Anyone can be a carrier. Men and Women can carry the bacteria. GBS harbors in the gastrointestinal tract and can move freely into the vagina and the rectum. According to the CDC approximately 25% that is 1 in 4 pregnant women carry the Group B Strep bacteria. Most adults never have any signs or symptoms when the bacteria are present. Pregnant women with the following conditions are at a higher risk of having a baby with GBS disease: Previous baby with GBS disease, Urinary tract infections due to GBS, a positive GBS test late in pregnancy, fever during labor, Rupture of membranes 18 hours or more before delivery, or labor or rupture of membranes before 37 weeks. Once your membranes rupture the baby has a higher risk of coming in contact with the Group B Strep Bacteria. Transmission usually occurs during labor and delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal or swallows or inhales the bacteria. Only about half of Newborns who develop Late Onset GBS contract it from their mother, the carrier. The other half it is very hard to find the source of their infection. If someone colonized with the GBS bacteria goes to the bathroom and wipes, the bacteria can be transferred to their hands, if they pick the baby up without washing their hands they can unknowingly pass the bacteria on to the baby. Hence, the importance of having people washestheir hands around your newborn baby. When the baby is born he or she may appear completely healthy but there are signs for you to look for. With early onset gbs disease symptoms can be deceiving because the babies sleep so much, but, if they run a fever, have difficulty feeding or don’t want to eat, Irritable or uncontrollable crying, or lethargic you should see your pediatrician immediately. With late onset gbs disease the signs to look for are upper respiratory infection, fever, difficulty feeding, lethargic, and seizures. Again you should seek medical attention immediately if any of these symptoms present themselves. If your obstetrician uses the correct protocol from the CDC, Center for Disease Control and ACOG, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologyduring pregnancy for detection of GBS you and the baby should be fine. Cole would have been 9 years old this year! I am so proud of him and the accomplishments that have been made because of him and his short little life! In August of 2000 after Cole passed away, two other moms and I, who had been affected by GBS traveled to Washington D.C. to speak to 110,000 doctors at the ACOG International Convention and talk to them about the importance of testing for Group B Strep. In 2001 we went to the CDC in Atlanta and lobbied for them to make it a mandatory test for pregnant women. In 2002 we did it! ACOG and the CDC changed the protocol for testing for GBS and made it a mandatorytest that all women have to have between 35-37 weeks. Cole truly has “saved the babies” from Group B Strep and I hope you will help me do the same! Some patients still get lost in the shuffle please don’t forget…when you or someone you know is pregnant remind them to be tested for Group B Strep! We are winning the fight to “save the babies” from Group B Strep. I would never want anyone to go through what we had to go through, especially when the solution is so easily recitified!! $5 worth of antibiotics….That is all it takes!!
up and called and asked to speak to the doctor immediately…after telling him what was going onhe told me to meet him at his office right then. We drove as fast as we could to the doctor’s office.
When we arrived Dr. Haddock picked Cole up out of the car seat and literally ran across the street to the emergency room with him. He knew exactly what it was when he picked him up out of the car. Cole had contracted spinal meningitis from bacteriacalled group b strep. He tried his very best to fight off the infection but 25 days later he passed away. Today I am going to give you some very important information about these deadly bacteria. Although Group B Strep is a very common bacteria it is important that we understand what it is, the signs and symptoms, and the treatment and prognosis to take the necessary steps to “save the babies”. By being aware of Group B Strep you could save hundreds of children, maybe even your own child. So what is this bacterium called Group B Strep and what are some of the problems it causes? Group B Streptococcus, also known as GBS or Group B Strep, is a common bacterium thatcan cause serious illnesses and as I told you earlier even death. Group B Strep is a gram positive cocci shaped bacteria. This pathogen emerged in the 1970’s as the most common cause of sepsis, or blood infections, in
newborns. About half of all the cases of Group B Strep disease among newborns happen in the first week of life most of them in the first few hours. This type is called early onset. The most common problems associated with GBS are Sepsis, Pneumonia, and meningitis, which is an infection of the fluid and lining around the brain. The lesser common type GBS disease develops one week to several months after birth. This is considered to be late onset. Meningitis is the more prevalent problem associated with the late onset GBS. Now that you are aware of what GBS is let me tell you where it lies, how you come in contact with it and how common it is. It is a common misconception that Group B Strep is a sexually transmitted disease. It is not. It is not food born or air born. Anyone can be a carrier. Men and Women can carry the bacteria. GBS harbors in the gastrointestinal tract and can move freely into the vagina and the rectum. According to the CDC approximately 25% that is 1 in 4 pregnant women carry the Group B Strep bacteria. Most adults never have any signs or symptoms when the bacteria are present. Pregnant women with the following conditions are at a higher risk of having a baby with GBS disease: Previous baby with GBS disease, Urinary tract infections due to GBS, a positive GBS test late in pregnancy, fever during labor, Rupture of membranes 18 hours or more before delivery, or labor or rupture of membranes before 37 weeks. Once your membranes rupture the baby has a higher risk of coming in contact with the Group B Strep Bacteria. Transmission usually occurs during labor and delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal or swallows or inhales the bacteria. Only about half of Newborns who develop Late Onset GBS contract it from their mother, the carrier. The other half it is very hard to find the source of their infection. If someone colonized with the GBS bacteria goes to the bathroom and wipes, the bacteria can be transferred to their hands, if they pick the baby up without washing their hands they can unknowingly pass the bacteria on to the baby. Hence, the importance of having people washestheir hands around your newborn baby. When the baby is born he or she may appear completely healthy but there are signs for you to look for. With early onset gbs disease symptoms can be deceiving because the babies sleep so much, but, if they run a fever, have difficulty feeding or don’t want to eat, Irritable or uncontrollable crying, or lethargic you should see your pediatrician immediately. With late onset gbs disease the signs to look for are upper respiratory infection, fever, difficulty feeding, lethargic, and seizures. Again you should seek medical attention immediately if any of these symptoms present themselves. If your obstetrician uses the correct protocol from the CDC, Center for Disease Control and ACOG, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologyduring pregnancy for detection of GBS you and the baby should be fine. Cole would have been 9 years old this year! I am so proud of him and the accomplishments that have been made because of him and his short little life! In August of 2000 after Cole passed away, two other moms and I, who had been affected by GBS traveled to Washington D.C. to speak to 110,000 doctors at the ACOG International Convention and talk to them about the importance of testing for Group B Strep. In 2001 we went to the CDC in Atlanta and lobbied for them to make it a mandatory test for pregnant women. In 2002 we did it! ACOG and the CDC changed the protocol for testing for GBS and made it a mandatorytest that all women have to have between 35-37 weeks. Cole truly has “saved the babies” from Group B Strep and I hope you will help me do the same! Some patients still get lost in the shuffle please don’t forget…when you or someone you know is pregnant remind them to be tested for Group B Strep! We are winning the fight to “save the babies” from Group B Strep. I would never want anyone to go through what we had to go through, especially when the solution is so easily recitified!! $5 worth of antibiotics….That is all it takes!!