GBS..A History Lesson??

[Aliwally]

Hi Everybody,

I came to here from another Health Unlocked site (you may be confused about my high cholesterol profile!).

I come from the pre internet era when my information about GBS was two lines in a text book and I had a desperately ill first baby infected with GBS likely to be severely handicapped...this wasn't the Middle Ages, it was 1984.

What has changed?

My heart goes out to families whose babies have died or have been left disabled...should this still be happening nearly 30 years later?

Information about GBS has changed out of all proportion thanks mainly to GBSS ...I can't begin to describe what it was like in 1984!

Alison is now 29, severely disabled but very much her own person with a lovely personality and a great sense of humour. It hasn't been easy but I hope her story may help others. She has two sisters born in 1986 and 1990 without antibiotics in labour.

[GBSSadmin Partner Volunteer Group B Strep Support]

So lovely to have you with us Aliwally and sorry that Alison has been left with so many problems as a result of GBS infection.

Yes, there is a lot more awareness now than there was in 1984, thank goodness, but we've still got a long way to go and are behind so many other western countries on this issue.

Dr Dan Poulter, the Health Minister, has said he is very keen to reduce GBS infection in newborn babies - we welcome that commitment and look forward to seeing new initiatives in the coming months.