Jessica Salmon, 25, with her 15 month old son Lennon and her little brother Liam, nine (Image: Handout)
In a chilling account, a young mother recounts the harrowing moment her baby boy started shaking uncontrollably while asleep in his pram. Jessica Salmon experienced every parent’s nightmare when her son Lennon suddenly fell ill at their home in Bootle.
Opening up to the ECHO, Jessica, 25, disclosed: “It was petrifying to see him in that state. The shaking went on for about five minutes. I knew what it was, but I’d never seen a seizure in person before. I called an ambulance straightaway and he was taken to hospital.”
Medical staff at Alder Hey Hospital informed the frightened mother that her then 15-month-old child had likely experienced a febrile convulsion—a kind of seizure induced by high fever, commonly associated with infections like colds or the flu.
Tragically, subsequent months saw Lennon struggling with three more severe seizures, described as ‘status epilepticus’ because they lasted over five minutes.
December brought the crisis to a climax, with Lennon suffering six seizures in just one day, leading to his emergency admission to Alder Hey Hospital’s high dependency unit due to breathing difficulties.
Jessica, who also has a five-month-old son named Finley-Joe, recounted the desperate measures taken: “It escalated really quickly. They put an oxygen bag on his face to breathe for him and had to drill into his bone to get the medication in faster.”
Jessica, Lennon’s mother, described the terrifying ordeal, saying her son was having so many convulsions, it looked like he was “having one big seizure. It just didn’t stop”. With no other options left, doctors decided to put the little boy into an induced coma to give his brain a rest.
Jessica described the experience as “It can only be described as soul-crushing,”, adding: “Seeing my 10-month-old baby boy lay there lifeless, with tubes everywhere. I can’t put that feeling into words. It has been horrific.”
She also revealed that Lennon had adverse reactions to some of the medication he was on, which resulted in him becoming very angry and clearly distressed. This behaviour was very unlike the happy boy they knew.
Despite undergoing an MRI scan and a lumbar puncture, nothing unusual was detected and Lennon was given the all clear for epilepsy – a diagnosis that is unusual for children as young as him.
However, as Lennon’s condition worsened, medics began to suspect it was more serious than they had originally thought. In the 72 hours after he woke up from his induced coma, he did not show any sign of improvement.
He was then taken for his first electroencephalogram (EEG), a test that records brain activity by picking up electrical signals produced by the brain.
Jessica Salmon with Lennon and her baby son Finley-Joe (Image: Handout)
Jessica finally received confirmation that her son Lennon was suffering from epilepsy. The diagnosis brought the family some relief as they could now seek the appropriate care for him.
Jessica expressed her emotions: “Despite this life-altering diagnosis, it has brought myself and the family some relief, having an answer. Still to this day when he is seizing, my heart breaks knowing there is nothing I can do to take it away from him. But Lennon is now on a different medication and is much more like himself.”
She shared details about genetic testing: “Lennon’s dad and I provided a blood sample to test for genetic epilepsy. If it turns out to be genetic we will be able to test Lennon’s younger brother for epilepsy, but we are yet to hear back from this.”
Determined to raise awareness, Jessica and her loved ones participated in a fundraising event for Epilepsy Action. She recounted the experience: “I want to give back to Epilepsy Action and raise awareness of the condition. I am so thankful for everyone who joined us for our 10k walk, including Lennon’s family and friends, as well as a few people who Lennon met whilst in hospital.”
Jessica reflected on the success of the charity walk: “The sun was shining and we even fed some geese at the end – it was a magical day from start to finish. Thank you for all the support we have received through Lennon’s journey, and I can’t wait to do some more fundraising in the future for such an amazing cause.”
Philippa Cartwright, Director of Fundraising at Epilepsy Action, expressed her support for a young fundraiser: “We are wishing Jessica and the team the best of luck for their 10k challenge. Lennon has been through so much, and is such an inspiration at such a young age. We are so glad that Epilepsy Action has been able to help Jessica and her family throughout this tough journey.”
She also highlighted the importance of donations: “Every pound raised for the charity goes directly to providing our amazing services, such as a helpline, support groups and a one to one befriending service. We’d like to say a big thank you to Jessica and the team for supporting us this Purple Day, and for sharing Lennon’s powerful story.”
Epilepsy affects approximately one in every 100 people in the UK, with 79 individuals diagnosed daily. The NHS outlines that seizures, which can last from a few seconds to minutes and may stop on their own, are typically the sole symptom of epilepsy.
While some may be conscious and recall the seizure, others may not. Although symptoms often emerge in young children and those over 50, epilepsy can occur at any age.
Symptoms of seizures can include:
- your body becoming stiff or floppy
- suddenly falling to the floor
- jerking or twitching movements in your body
- peeing unintentionally
- losing awareness of what’s around you – you may stare into space and not be able to respond normally
- unusual feelings or sensations, such as strange smells, numbness or tingling, changes in your vision, or suddenly feeling scared
- unusual behaviour, such as fidgeting or walking around and not being aware of what you’re doing
For those seeking assistance, Epilepsy Action offers a national network of support groups and expert advice through its helpline, available online or by phone at 0808 800 5050. You can donate to Jessica’s fundraiser here.
