Girl, 4, who lost both legs and five fingers after contracting strep A then sepsis hasn't lost 'love for life'

A four-year-old had both legs and five of her fingers amputated after falling critically ill - just two days after first showing symptoms of an infection that can be common in children.

Aiyla Mota, initially complained of a sore throat, which is a symptom usually associated with the Step A infection - but after calling NHS healthcare advice helpline 111, her mum, Eulanda Griffith, age 27, was told to keep an eye out for a rash.

After noticing her rapid breathing and stomach pain, however, she took her to A&E instead, where she was admitted immediately. Aiyla's condition quickly deteriorated as she went into septic shock, and was placed in an induced coma for three weeks. When she woke up, she had both legs, four fingers on her right hand and one finger on her left hand amputated. Lack of blood flow to her left eye also means she is now partially blind.

Griffith, a primary education student of Hillingdon, north west London, said: “Sepsis stole so many things from Aiyla. I don’t think I’m ever going to come to terms with it. At the time, I didn’t even know what Strep A was - let alone how dangerous it can be for young children. The doctors hadn’t seen a case like Aiyla's before - but it must be more common than we think. She was really ill - and I stayed by her bedside every day.”

"The nurse agreed she 'didn't seem right'"

Ayila's symptoms began on March 23 this year. She told Eulanda about a sore throat - which was spreading to the roof of her mouth. She developed a persistent cough - as well as “tummy pain” which meant she was unable to pass urine. Despite usually only having two naps per week, she began to nod off at several points in the day - and still felt tired. After 24 hours, Griffith called 111, who reassured her she should only take her daughter to hospital if she developed a rash.

She said: “Aiyla's cough wasn’t major - and when I shone a light in her throat, I couldn’t see anything there. She was only three at the time, so her naps had gone down to twice a week. But she started napping in the daytime. We tried her on the toilet a few times - I kept saying, ‘are you sure you don’t need the toilet?’ - but she genuinely couldn’t wee.”

On March 25, Griffith noticed Aiyla's breathing had become rapid - and, concerned she still wasn’t able to go to the toilet, drove her straight to A&E at Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge. The triage nurse agreed she “didn’t seem right” - and Aiyla was admitted straight away.

'She was wired up to all sorts of machines'

Doctors administered antibiotics through a canula, but the tot’s condition didn't improve. Tests showed she was suffering from multiple organ failure, including in her lungs and kidneys. After less than 24 hours in the hospital, a decision was made to transfer her to St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, to drain the fluid from her lungs and put her on dialysis.

She was taken by ambulance at 3am on March 26. “The ambulance ride felt like a lifetime,” Griffith said. “Once we got there, they took us straight to intensive care. Doctors kept saying they needed to put her in an induced coma. I asked - ‘is she going to wake up if we do this?’ - and they said yes. I went into the tea room, I have no idea how long for, and when I came back, she was wired up to all sorts of machines. She had dialysis, feeding tubes, a catheter and ECG stickers. I can’t even describe how I felt in that moment, I was in complete disbelief.”

Aiyla stayed in her induced coma for three weeks - and Eulanda sat by her bedside the entire time. After waking up, doctors kept her in for observation. They wanted to see whether her legs and fingers would return to normal function. But realising they were unsalvageable, the “devastating” decision was made to amputate.

"Sepsis and strep haven’t stolen her love for life"

Griffith said: “I couldn’t stop thinking about her future - how this was going to affect her, physically and mentally. I was told the blood flow had been cut off from her legs and arms, to save her vital organs. The most important thing was to keep her alive.”

Aiyla stayed in hospital for three months - and was discharged on June 23, two weeks before her fourth birthday. She was given a ‘Frozen’-themed birthday party at home - and despite the ordeal, has managed to remain her “cheeky and sassy self”. Now, she’s undergoing intensive occupational and physiotherapy with ‘stubbies’ - short prosthetic legs without feet - but is hoping to graduate to full prosthetics once she gets confident.

Griffith added: “She does rehabilitation centre, occupational therapy and she’s even in mainstream school, full time. She’s adapted so well - she loves gymnastics, horse riding, ice skating and bowling. We do everything we can for her. Sepsis and strep haven’t stolen her love for life - it’s her that keeps me together, really.”