What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threating condition, that can develop in any setting. Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection causes damage to healthy tissues and organs. Any type of infection can lead to sepsis (bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic) (1).

Sepsis is an emergency, and is a leading cause of mortality in children in Australia (2). Sepsis related ICU admissions are three times higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (3). Quick diagnosis and treatment can be the difference between life and death (4).

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Signs of sepsis in children

The signs of sepsis parents or carers may see in children include:

Recognising Sepsis

Recognition of sepsis can be difficult as there is no one clinical sign or test which can definitively diagnose sepsis (5). Early senior medical review is the best way of confirming or ruling out a sepsis diagnosis. Sepsis can mimic other conditions and can easily be missed or dismissed as a less serious condition. Ask yourself could it be sepsis?
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Time is crucial in the effective treatment of sepsis so early recognition and escalation of care is vital. To support clinicians in hospital settings caring for children the ESCALATION System includes a Paediatric Sepsis Recognition Escalation Pathway. This pathway is used alongside early warning scores when measuring vital signs and other clinical observations. The pathway includes information on when to consider sepsis, information about patients who are at higher risk of sepsis, and clear information on the response required. Sepsis education is also provided to prepare staff to use the ESCALATION System.

​Further sepsis resources

Australian Sepsis Network:
www.australiansepsisnetwork.net.au

The UK Sepsis Trust:
 www.sepsistrust.org

Sepsis Alliance (USA):
www.sepsis.org

Global Sepsis Alliance:
 www.global-sepsis-alliance.org

References

(1). Global Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis common causes. Available at: https://www.global-sepsis-alliance.org/sepsis ;2021.
(2). Shlapbach L, Straney L, Alexander J, MacLaren G, Festa M, Schibler A, Slater A. Mortality related to invasive infections, sepsis, and septic shock in critically ill children in Australia and New Zealand, 2002-13: a multicentre retrospective cohort study. Lancet Infective Disease. 2015; 15:46-54.
(3). Ostrowski JA, MacLaren G, Alexander J, et al. The burden of invasive infections in critically ill Indigenous children in Australia. Med J Aust 2017; 206: 78-84.
(4). Plunket A, Tong T. Sepsis in Children. BMJ. 2015; 350:h3017(1-12).
(5). Vincent J. The clinical challenge of sepsis identification and monitoring. PLoS Med 2016, 13:e1002022.