A TODDLER suffering from deadly brain bug meningitis was diagnosed by a doctor with a splinter and sent away with a plaster, her mother said.

Stephannie Bulloch’s 16- month-old daughter Kadii nearly lost her foot when septicaemia struck, and needed five days of intensive care before she delighted her parents by making a full recovery.

Her family were advised to kiss her goodbye when she was transferred from hospital in Darlington to Newcastle, in case she did not survive the 36-mile ambulance journey.

On Monday, she took her first steps, only a fortnight after she was struck down with the disease.

Miss Bulloch, 18, from Middleton St George, near Darlington, said her daughter had been suffering from a cold before she spotted a pin prick on her hand on February 23.

She took Kadii to an NHS walk-in centre in Darlington.

Miss Bulloch, who is studying nursing at Teesside University, said: “I took her to the doctors and he said it was a splinter and put a plaster on it.

“I took her to the childminder as usual at 11am.”

The childminder rang at 3pm to say Kadii was ill, before three more spots on her stomach were found.

Miss Bulloch said: “It took about ten minutes to get her to Darlington Memorial Hospital, by which time she was covered head-to-toe in a rash.”

Doctors in Darlington worked for seven hours to stabilise the toddler.

At one point, it was feared she may lose her left foot.

Before she was transferred to intensive care in Newcastle, Miss Bulloch and Kadii’s father, Richard Tunstall, 21, were advised to kiss her goodbye.

Miss Bulloch said: “All we could do was keep our fingers crossed as she lay in a coma, wired up to a life support machine.”

After four days on a ward, Kadii was allowed home.

On Monday, she made her first steps, and appeared not to have any lasting damage from meningitis.

Miss Bulloch said: “Doctors said she was a little miracle.”

The mother, who is suspending her nursing studies for a year to care for Kadii, is backing the charity Meningitis UK’s website, which features a quiz about spotting the potentially deadly condition.

Miss Bulloch said she had not been back to the walk-in centre since, and remained “angry” about her daughter’s treatment.

Medical director for NHS Darlington Will Richardson said all patients visiting the centre received the best possible care.

Staff followed rigorous and stringent clinical procedures, and always erred on the side of caution if patients presented any symptoms that were associated with meningitis, referring them to the hospital immediately.

He added: “I have taken this opportunity to review procedures in the urgent care centre and am satisfied as to the high standard of care that is being provided.”

■ Miss Bulloch is holding a coffee morning to raise money for Meningitis UK on Saturday, April 11, at Middleton St George Community Centre, from 11am to 1pm.

Meningitis – the facts

● Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal septicaemia occurs when poisons caused by meningococcal bacteria enter the blood stream;

● Classic symptoms are headache, stiff neck and a dislike of bright light;

● Common meningococcal septicaemia symptoms include cold hands and feet, and a rash which starts like pinprick marks and develops into purple bruising;

● Children under five and those aged 15 to 25 are most at risk, particularly those who have recently suffered from a cold or flu.