Connor Tomlinson's story

My son contracted pneumococcal meningitis at the age of 10 months old, what started with vomiting and generally feeling irritable turned into the worst day of our lives, he was rushed in an ambulance to the resus ward where they confirmed he had meningitis.

We were so oblivious as to what it meant but knew it wasn't good, we didn't realise how poorly he actually was till some time after when we learnt about it. My son was in hospital for 8 days in and out of high dependency until he was sent home with medication.

Days later it was confirmed my son was deaf, as his parents we already knew there was an issue with his hearing. From then we were bombarded with the process of him having a major operation for bilateral implants, again something we had no clue about. From there my son had to learn to walk again as he was like a new born baby again, several hospital appointments and being admitted with severe chest infections it was a massive roller coaster.

He now has his implants, went through 3 years of speech therapy and is doing amazing, as he's got older we believe he has some form of autism and ADHD which we have been told it is very common with the type of meningitis he had with it being on his brain and spinal cord.

The time we went through it all you just run off your adrenaline it's so difficult and emotional, but we have fought with everything we have to give him the best future possible and I can't tell you what a beautiful young man he's growing into.

We had days out, meetings with the meningitis trust and ndcs and I can't tell you how beneficial they are, you get to meet people who have been through the same experience some new some old and you can ask the 1001 questions going round your head, I love the fact I'm now one of them mums who can offer advice and comfort to those new to it all, because I needed it so much.

Shelley Tomlinson
Sept 2023