Couple in the swim to thank hospital for saving son

Ritchie fell ill with Strep A and sepsis when he was 11 months old and had to have his armed amputated after suffering three cardiac arrests

A couple are swimming a mile a day for 53 days, to mark each day their baby underwent life-saving treatment at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Libby Reynolds and George Bowman’s son Ritchie fell ill at 11 months old and, after he suffered three cardiac arrests, doctors were forced to amputate his arm.

Ritchie had contracted Strep A and sepsis and became seriously ill, leaving the medics no option but to amputate in order to save him.

“It was upsetting, but we were just embracing ‘life over limb’. We just wanted our little boy to be okay,” Ms Reynolds, from Coventry, said.

Ritchie had three cardiac arrests and three seizures during his illness

As a result of the aggressive treatment needed to save Ritchie’s life, poor blood flow in his left arm forced the amputation and he has been left with brain damage after the cardiac arrests and two seizures.

The couple will start their swimming challenge on 23 March and are raising money for the hospital as way of thanking the medics who saved Ritchie's life.

The family's nightmare experiences began when he fell ill in March 2023 with an apparently non-serious bug that made him deteriorate rapidly.

“He was really unsettled and lethargic and his breathing had changed,” said Ms Reynolds, a secondary school teacher.

'It was so scary'

The couple's son was initially taken by ambulance to University Hospital in Coventry, before being transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

He was diagnosed with Strep A and Adenovirus, which then resulted in him developing sepsis - with the impact of the infections on his body leading him to suffer the cardiac arrests.

“We saw them do CPR on Ritchie and it was so scary. We just didn’t know what was going to happen,” Ms Reynolds said.

Strep A causes mild symptoms in most cases, or illnesses such as scarlet fever that can be treated with antibiotics.

On rare occasions however, the bacteria can get deeper into the body.

Ms Reynolds said her son was now “thriving” and had “surprised us all with how well he is doing”

Happily for Ritchie though he is now thriving, Ms Reynolds said, having surprised the couple "with how well he is doing.”

He still goes to the hospital regularly for physio, speech and language, and occupational therapy sessions.

The couple hope their swimming fundraiser will show their gratitude to the hospital.

“They gave us a second chance,” Ms Reynolds said.