Doctors amazed by brave young Wiganer Archie's hospital battle

Kate Musgrave, from Hindley, says five-year-old Archie has defied medical expectations at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and is even taking a few steps with the help of a frame.

Other news: Park volunteers blast infantile vandalsKate, husband Joe and both their sets of parents have barely left Archie’s side during his ordeal and she spoke proudly of her “little fighter”.

The St Peter’s CE Primary School pupil spent four days in an induced coma after being rushed into hospital once the symptoms of the terrible illness became known.

Kate, 29, has spoken of the incredible speed with which Archie’s condition deteriorated and emphasised the importance of knowing the signs of meningitis B.

She is also urging parents whose children will not have received a jab as babies to ensure they are protected against the disease and thanked the hundreds of Wiganers, including a number of rugby league stars, who have rallied round the family on social media using the hashtag #Pray4Archie.

The family’s ordeal began late on Monday, March 19 when Archie returned from school complaining of feeling unwell with sore legs and a headache.

The family went to Wigan Infirmary where it was initially thought he had a viral infection, with Archie’s parents being told to bring him back if he got any worse.

Overnight he continued being sick and by the early hours of Tuesday morning it was obvious he was seriously ill.

Kate said: “It all happened so quickly. Archie kept telling me he had sore legs and a headache and just from knowing the signs of things I said to my husband that we had to get him to hospital.

“When he was being sick during the night I thought it was a bug but then first thing in the morning I noticed a little rash, like a purple bruise.

“I knew that wasn’t right. I looked again at his body and the rash was coming out.

“We got him back to A&E and doctors and nurses were all rushing in to treat him. They put him in the induced coma and then he got blue-lighted to Manchester.

“It all started on Monday night, we took him back to Wigan Infirmary on Tuesday morning and by dinner time we were here in intensive care.

“It was awful, the worst time of our lives. It was just a shock. You see things like this on TV but you don’t ever think your child is going to get it.”

Thankfully Archie has done incredibly well to battle the appalling disease, making a massive amount of progress.

Kate said: “He’s doing as well as he can be. The doctors and nurses have been amazed, they said some children who have meningitis B are still in a coma at this stage.

“He amazes us every day with the little steps he is taking. Everything is under control and he is doing well.

“He’s having a lot more fluids now but is still being fed through a tube. He’s on a lot of antibiotics as well and we don’t know how long he will be in hospital for. It depends how the infection is treated but things are looking promising.

“He’s able to sit up now for a bit but then he wants to lie down again because he is still quite weak.

“He’s trying to take a few steps on his little frame. He can’t really do it yet but it just shows how much he is fighting and how strong he is in trying to get where he wants to be.

“He’s putting all his might into this. We’re just so proud and overwhelmed with all the support.”

She is also urging parents to ensure they get their children the meningitis B jab.

She said: “I cannot express enough how important this is. Children are only immunised against it automatically if they are born after 2015.

“If they were born before that they need to go and get the jab done.

“I want everybody to know about this.”