A UK mum has issued a stark warning to other parents after doctors allegedly brushed off her young son’s frightening symptoms — only for them to turn out to be a rare and potentially deadly disease most people associate with Victorian-era medicine.
Megan West says she was left shocked and terrified after finally discovering what was really wrong with her four-year-old son, Elliot, following months of appointments where she felt her concerns were repeatedly dismissed.
The 25-year-old mum from Coventry first noticed something wasn’t right in December 2024, when Elliot began walking and running in an unusual way. His legs swung outward, his knees touched, and his arms flared as he moved. Over time, other alarming symptoms appeared — night sweats, frequent illness, and dramatic weight loss.
“He lost so much weight you could see his bones in his chest,” Megan said.
Despite multiple GP visits, Megan claims she was told Elliot was likely dealing with a viral infection. At one point, she says doctors even suggested her son might be exaggerating his symptoms for attention because he had a new baby sister at home.
“He kept saying his legs didn’t work,” she explained. “But I was told he was neurologically fine and probably just doing it for attention.”
As Elliot’s condition worsened, Megan took him to A&E at Coventry Hospital in June. That visit finally led to answers — and a diagnosis that stunned the family.
Scans revealed swollen lymph nodes on Elliot’s lungs, and doctors soon confirmed he was suffering from spinal tuberculosis, also known as Pott’s disease. The bacterial infection typically starts in the lungs and spreads to the spine, where it can cause severe pain, muscle weakness, spinal damage, and even paralysis if untreated.
Doctors later explained that Elliot’s complaints about his legs “not working” were caused by compression of his spinal cord as the infection progressed.
“I absolutely did not expect it to be this,” Megan said. “We were scared for him — terrified about what he was going to have to go through.”
In September, Elliot underwent major spinal fusion surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Doctors warned the procedure carried serious risks, but without surgery, Elliot could have been left permanently paralysed.
Thankfully, the operation was a success.
Elliot is now on long-term tuberculosis medication and is slowly regaining his strength. While he’s currently only allowed to walk — no running yet — his mum says his gait is almost back to normal. He may still require another surgery later this year if the mass on his spine does not shrink enough.
“He’s back playing and trying to do all the things he shouldn’t,” Megan said. “He still has limits, but he feels so much better than before.”
Although Megan says she doesn’t blame individual doctors, she hopes sharing Elliot’s story will encourage medical professionals to look at the bigger picture — and parents to trust their instincts.
“I know TB is incredibly hard to diagnose in children,” she said. “But I wish they’d listened more. When you put all the signs together, he had every symptom.”
Her message to other parents is clear and urgent.
“Listen to your child and push when something doesn’t feel right,” she said. “Kids don’t fake things for attention for that long. No one knows your child better than you.”