Katie Radford rushes 9-month-old baby to hospital & shares reminder to parents to ‘always listen to gut' after diagnosis
Just days after the 22-year-old broke her silence on her split from her father's child Connor Carter, the mum-of-one urgently rang 111 for advice regarding her ill child.
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Nine months after giving birth to her 'absolute dream baby', Katie noticed her son Ronnie Hudson Carter, who was born on 8th October 2024, was 'unsettled.'
And after 'being sent to hospital ' and her son receiving a shocking diagnosis, Katie, who is a member of Britain's Biggest Family and stars in the hit Channel 5 show 22 Kids & Counting, has urged parents to 'always listen to your gut.'
Posting on social media, on her Instagram stories, the brunette, who found out she was pregnant after being with Connor for six years, uploaded a snap of her youngster in a hospital bed.
Alongside the picture, the eighth Radford child penned: 'Thank you everyone for all your messages.
'I rang 111 as he was so unsettled this morning, nothing would calm him down other than a bath.'
Alongside a crying emoji, she continued: 'They have said he's got shingles.'
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection that causes a painful rash.
While it's more common in adults, babies and children can also get it.
It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
After a person has chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant in their nervous system and later reactivate as shingles.
Mum-of-22 Sue Radford MISSED 'scared' 21-year-old daughter's birth as Noel booked posh Dubai break at £400 a night hotel
Following this, the third eldest Radford daughter shared a message for parents, as she warned: 'Let this be your reminder to ALWAYS listen to your gut.
'I [saw] two doctors and got told it was nothing.
'Then after today being sent to hospital they've said it's shingles!!!'
Can babies get shingles?
IT is more common for babies to have chickenpox, and while they can get shingles, it is rare.
For a baby to get shingles, they must have had chickenpox in the past (even in the womb), or they were exposed to the virus during pregnancy or shortly after birth.
If the baby's mother had chickenpox late in pregnancy, the baby may have been exposed and developed a mild case, allowing the virus to lie dormant.
If a baby got chickenpox in early infancy, the virus could later reactivate as shingles.
Signs of shingles in babies include; a localised rash on one side of the body, often in a stripe pattern; blisters that scab over in seven to 10 days and pain or irritability, although babies can't express nerve pain clearly.
Chicken pox vs Shingles
In the UK, chickenpox is particularly common in childhood.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, about half of children have had chickenpox by age 4, and 90% by age 10.
While most cases occur in children, infants under four weeks old are at higher risk for complications.
But when it comes to shingles in young children, according to Pharmacy Times, for every 1,000 children observed over the course of one year, about 0.74 cases of shingles occur.
Katie's sly dig
Katie's post regarding her son's rush to hospital and shock diagnosis comes just nine days after she shared a sly dig online about people making 'no effort.'
After removing all trace of her child's father from her Instagram and sparking concern amongst fans that she and Connor had separated, Katie posted a brutal poke at those who haven't been present with her son.
Posting on TikTok, Katie uploaded a video with the caption 'Only them missing out not Ron ❤️.'
Alongside the clip, she wrote: 'One of the most hurtful things as a mum is seeing people who you thought would see your kid all the time make little to no effort.'
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Shortly after posting the 31-second clip, Katie confirmed: 'Just to clarify this isn't about his dad, he still sees his dad 🥰.'
Connor Carter then flocked to the comments and wrote: 'Only needs the people who bother.. he won't be missing out on anything/anyone.
'My little man will be surrounded by the ones he needs💙'
The discussion on Katie and Connor's split began back in May, when the Radford family spent time in Florida on an extravagant £52,000 family trip to celebrate Sue Radford 's 50th birthday.
The Lancashire-based brood had a sun-soaked extravaganza in the US and alongside the Radford youngsters, Millie was joined by her husband Harley Passmore.
Katie posed on the beach whilst on the trip, but Connor was nowhere to be seen in snaps shared on the family's Instagram account.
Connor's fears on being a "young dad"
Not only this, but previously, on an episode of the family's TV show, emotional scenes documented the moment then 21-year-old Connor found out he was going to become a father.
Clearly in disbelief, Connor admitted: 'I didn't think I'd ever be a young dad…scared.'
To this, Katie recognised: 'It is a big change. I'm scared. I don't think anyone's ever ready for a kid.'
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Connor then confessed: 'I don't really do well with change, I don't like it. I'm still a kid, I've not grown up yet.
'I don't think I'm ready now, I don't think in five years time I'd be ready, but it's something that's going to have to change really.
And whilst pram shopping with dad-of-22 Noel, 54, Connor explained: 'I can't imagine pushing a pram, it just feels a bit weird.
The Radford Family's TV history
THE first ever episode of 22 Kids and Counting aired on Channel 5 on 22nd February, 2021.
After the first series - which had just four episodes in it - performed well, Channel 5 commissioned a 10-episode second season, which was broadcast in 2022.
They went on to commission a third series, which included a Christmas special aired in December 2023.
The fourth season began airing in January 2024, but fans were left disappointed when it stopped after six episodes.
Sue and Noel reassured viewers that they were just taking a little break, and the next episode will be airing on 21st July.
You can catch up on all previous episodes of 22 Kids and Counting on My 5, here.
'I thought I was a few years off this yet. Didn't expect it to be honest.
'I didn't ever think I'd be here to be honest, not for a few years.
"Gonna have a lot of responsibility and I don't like having it.'
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