Meningitis in Children: When a Mother's Instinct Led to Life-Saving Answers

What happens when your child seems sick, but everything keeps coming back normal?

For a lot of parents, the scariest part isn't the diagnosis. It's the not knowing. It's being told everything looks fine when your gut is telling you something is off.

This week, Katie sits down with Kayleigh, a medical assistant and mom of three, to share the story of her daughter Kanessa. Almost a year after a freak eye injury that seemed to heal, Kanessa suddenly got sick. At first, it looked like a simple virus. But within days, things escalated fast.

Kaylee shares what it was like trying to make sense of symptoms that didn't quite add up. Normal test results. A child who seemed okay one minute and not the next. And that moment when everything changed with one scan.

From there, their world shifted quickly. A brain bleed. A diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Emergency surgery. A 40-day hospital stay. Kaylee talks about what it took to keep going through all of it, while also caring for a newborn and being away from her other child.

She also shares how she supported Kanessa through it all. Being honest about what was happening. Preparing her for procedures. Letting her ask questions. And leaning on Child Life in a way that made a huge difference for both of them.

If you've ever wondered if you're overreacting or if you should push for more answers, this episode will stay with you. Kaylee's story is a reminder to trust yourself and keep advocating.

This episode is sponsored by Gebauer PainEase®. We're so grateful for their support. To learn more about this product, visit their website.

This is our 300th episode, which feels pretty surreal. We're so grateful you're here.

Special Giveaway ☕️
Your support means so much to us, and we're truly grateful for this community. As a small thank you, we're offering a $10 Starbucks gift card to the first 20 listeners who leave a review. If the podcast has made an impact on you, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Simply screenshot your review and email it to [email protected] to claim your gift. Thank you for being part of this journey with us 💛

Resources & Ways to Connect

 Connect with Kaleigh on Instagram

Facebook Meningitis Support Group

 

Connect with Us

• Subscribe: Never miss an episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
  
  

• Visit insidethechildrenshospital.com to search stories and episodes easily
  
  

• Follow us on Instagram for updates and opportunities to connect with other parents
  
  

• Download SupportSpot: receive Child Life tools at your fingertips.
  
  

• Leave a Review: It helps other families find us and access our resources!

Medical information provided is not a substitute for professional advice—please consult your care team.

Keywords:
bacterial meningitis child story, pediatric brain hemorrhage, delayed diagnosis child illness, parenting through medical trauma, child life support hospital, pediatric emergency story, advocating for your child medical care, cochlear implant child, hearing loss after meningitis, navigating pediatric hospitalization, medical parent journey, trusting parental instincts