Little girl, 4, left fighting for life after catching chickenpox
15.11.2023 - 09:15
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A mum who thought her daughter was 'going to die' after catching chickenpox has backed experts who are calling for all children to receive an NHS vaccine before they turn 18 months old.
Reign Passey was just four-years-old when she was left fighting for her life after catching the infection in July 2022. She spent three weeks in hospital, was put in a coma and had to undergo and lifesaving four-hour operation.
Her mum Leanne Passey, 32, said Reign, now five, developed strep A which turned her chickenpox into a flesh-eating infection. She has been left with a large scar on her right side, which she tells people she got from 'winning a fight against a crocodile'.
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On Tuesday (November 14), government scientists said that all children in the UK should be given a chickenpox vaccine at 12 and 18 months of age. The advice, issued by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, has also recommended a temporary catch-up programme for older children.
Leanne, from Dudley, said if the vaccine could potentially save lives after what her daughter went through, she fully supports it. "If the vaccine will prevent any child from getting what Reign got then I support it 1000%", she said.
"I wouldn’t want any mother to go through it. It’s horrendous, you never expect it to happen to you until it does."
Leanne said Reign came down with chickenpox on July 4, 2022 and initially appeared fine. But three days later the mum noticed she had a temperature and was low on energy - symptoms of strep A - an infection which children who have had