A MUM told yesterday how her month-old baby son fought a life-threatening rare form of meningitis. Henry Banfield, born six weeks prematurely, fell ill when he was just four weeks old. Parents Philip and Stephanie Banfield, of Moelfre, near Abergele, rushed him to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd at Bodelwyddan. Doctors diagnosed a rare severe form of meningitis and septicaemia and transferred him to Alder Hey Hospital, Merseyside. "It normally occurs only in newborn babies and about one in five do not survive," said mum Stephanie, a gynaecologist at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. "He went from being perfectly well to being on a ventilator within 18 hours." Henry was critically ill in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for about six days. "It was the very worst week of all our lives, as Henry tried to fight the infection," added Stephanie. "But he received the best medical and nursing care that we have ever seen. "Alder Hey Hospital saved our child's life and gave us our baby back." His sister Scarlett, seven, is a pupil at Cefnmeiriadog Primary School, near St Asaph. All 60 children sent letters to Scarlett while she was staying with her parents at Alder Hey during the emergency in April. Stephanie added: "Throughout his illness the thoughts and prayers of the children staff and parents at this exceptional school comforted us." A cheque for almost £1,300, raised at a barbecue at the school was handed to the hospital's fundraising manager Christine Done. Headteacher Kath Royle said the school will maintain links and raise more funds. Spotting meningitis in babies and toddlers * High temperature, fever, possibly with cold hands and feet * Vomiting, or refusing feeds * High-pitched moaning, whimpering cry * Blank, staring expression * Pale, blotchy complexion * Baby may be floppy, may dislike being handled, be fretful * Difficult to wake or lethargic * The fontanelle (soft spot on babies heads) may be tense or bulging. | 
