need to know
-
Sian Alderton, 18, was hospitalized with meningitis after sharing an e-cigarette during a night out in October 2024
-
Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma and warned she might not survive the next 24 hours
-
Alderton has recovered but remains cautious about social outings and warns others to seek immediate care if they develop symptoms
A teenager who was hospitalized with meningitis has warned others she may have contracted the disease after sharing an e-cigarette.
In October 2024, Sian Alderton of Norwich, England, spent her first night at a club with friends. But two days later, the 18-year-old girl began experiencing unusual and severe symptoms, reports southwest news agency. Her mother, Kerrie Durrant, said there were many warning signs that something was wrong.
“Around 8pm she said, ‘Mom, I don’t feel good.’ She wanted to come into my bed – she never wanted to come into my bed when she was sick, so she was very clingy,” she recalled. “Throughout the night, I could hear her waking up.”
Durant, 37, said she watched her daughter throughout the day and noticed she wasn’t moving much.
“She was drinking like a goldfish. I said, ‘Let’s go to the bathroom.'” She stood up but couldn’t move – she was in pain,” she told the outlet. “She crawled to the bathroom. That’s when I said: ‘Wait a minute, something’s wrong. ‘” “
Sian Alderton
Image source: SWNS
Durant rushed Alderton to the hospital, where the teen was immediately put into a medically induced coma after being evaluated by doctors. Durant was told her daughter likely wouldn’t survive the next 24 hours due to meningitis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, meningitis is “an infection and swelling of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord…”. It can cause headaches, fever, and especially neck stiffness. “Sometimes, meningitis does not require treatment and gets better within a few weeks. But meningitis can also cause death. It usually needs to be treated quickly with antibiotics.”
Doctors believe Alderton contracted the virus from kissing or sharing an e-cigarette during a night out.
“I did share the e-cigarette with a lot of people that night, so we believe that’s where I got it from,” she admitted.
The Character Puzzle Crossword Puzzle is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Sian Alderton in hospital
Image source: SWNS
Fortunately, Alderton, now 19, has recovered. Scans showed she also suffered no lasting brain damage.
But she said the health scare has kept her from going out.
“I haven’t been out since then – the most I dared was to go to a pub for an hour or two, but other than that I never wanted to go out,” she said.
“It hasn’t made me give up vaping, although I won’t share it with anyone anymore,” she added.
Sian Alderton
Image source: SWNS
Never miss a story – Sign up People’s free daily newsletter Stay up to date with the latest from PEOPLE, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Alderton commented on the ongoing meningitis outbreak in the UK, which has killed two young people and sickened at least 20 others and is linked to a nightclub. She urged people to get treatment as soon as possible.
“If you know someone who has a ‘disease,’ but they’re also very delirious or more aggressive than usual, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” she told the outlet. “Get it checked out as soon as possible. Sometimes the rash doesn’t even show up on people, so you don’t think they’re going to be in a life-or-death situation.”
Durant added, “People need to realize that it can affect anyone. Anyone can get it, whether you’re healthy or not, and if it wants to infect you, it will infect you.”
Read the original article on People
