A distressing video of an 11-week-old girl a few hours from death has been shared by her mother to teach parents the symptoms of sepsis.

Chloe Pierce deteriorated from being 'off her food and a bit unsettled' to fighting for her life within four hours.

Now her mother Katie Goulbourn has posted a video of Chloe taken just over an hour before a team of medics were battling to keep her alive.

Katie, from Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, took her daughter to a doctor who called 999, reports the Manchester Evening News .

The mum said she would have acted more quickly, when the emergency occurred last month, had she known how ill Chloe was.

Katie said: "This was an extremely difficult and personal time for our family, one we have thought long and hard about sharing.

"Ultimately we decided that if it makes one parent check symptoms quicker - then something good can come from sharing this."

She said of the symptoms: "Grunting noises when breathing - it started off sounding very normal, like she was trying to poo, and gradually escalated to the sounds you hear in the video.

Katie shared the video of Chloe on Facebook

"Struggling to breathe - notice how Chloe’s stomach is being drawn in beneath her ribs as she breathes. Signs could also be chest dropping and head bobbing with each breath."

Describing the video, taken before Chloe was hospitalised, she said: "This is Chloe at 3.53pm on Tuesday, January 16. By 5pm she was in resuscitation with 10+ medical professionals doing everything to keep her alive.

"Watching this video brings back all the fear from that night, however if I had known the symptoms that Chloe was displaying that afternoon were life threatening, I could have acted quicker.

"Chloe went from being 'off her food and a bit unsettled' to fighting for her life in under 4 hours."

Chloe Pierce with her dad Tom

Katie, 28, took the video to send to Chloe's dad Tom Pierce, 33, a firefighter with North Wales Fire and Rescue. It was Tom who suggested seeking medical help.

Katie took Chloe to her doctor who then called an ambulance. Tom was at work in Wrexham and rushed to meet Katie and the girls at Leighton Hospital.

Despite it bringing back terrible memories, Katie decided to share the video in the hope it will help other families. Since sharing it last week it's been viewed almost 1.5m times.

"After a week in hospital with around the clock monitoring, countless tests and endless antibiotics/fluid pumped around her little body, and with the biggest thank you to 50+ NHS employees, Chloe is now home and doing well," said Katie, who is on maternity leave from her job as a recruitment consultant.

A happier, healthier Chloe

"Though she be but little, she is fierce - although we should say feisty, as described by many nurses and doctors."

Katie urged other parents to trust their instincts.

She said: "I would say always trust your instincts and seek further advice if you have any doubts at all. I knew something wasn’t right but it's thanks to Chloe’s dad for noticing the signs and telling me to call the doctor.

"She was on oxygen in the GP surgery before the paramedics arrived. I thought we’d lost her in the ambulance.

Chloe with her older sister Sophie, aged 15 months

"You could tell how serious it was from the panic in resuscitation, they were all running around frantic desperately trying to stabilise her.

"I’ve been back to the doctor's since and they all recognised her name and said they had’t seen a baby that poorly in an extremely long time.

"We can't thank the duty doctor enough for acting so quickly that day."

Sepsis remains a bigger killer than breast, bowel, prostate cancer and road traffic accidents combined but, with more knowledge of the symptoms, lives could be saved.

UK Sepsis Trust advice

Sepsis in Children

If your child is unwell with either a fever or very low temperature (or has had a fever in the last 24 hours), just ask: could it be SEPSIS?

Any child who:

  • Is breathing very fast
  • Has a ‘fit’ or convulsion
  • Looks mottled, bluish, or pale
  • Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
  • Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
  • Feels abnormally cold to touch
  • Might have SEPSIS. Call 999 and ask: could it be SEPSIS?

Any child under 5 who:

  • Is not feeding
  • Is vomiting repeatedly
  • Hasn’t had a wee or wet nappy for 12 hours

Might have SEPSIS. If you’re worried they’re deteriorating call 111 or see your GP.