Pediatric Sepsis Week

Do you know the signs and symptoms of sepsis? You could save a child.

Join Sepsis Alliance for Pediatric Sepsis Week 2025 from April 20th to 26th. Help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis in children, recognize the 75,000 children who develop sepsis each year in the U.S, and honor those who have passed. This annual observance is held the third week of April.

Keep scrolling to learn how to spot sepsis in children and how you can help spread awareness and save lives.

Bug Helps You Learn to Stay Sepsis Safe

 

Find more videos from Sepsis Alliance on our YouTube channel. Click here.

Can you spot sepsis in children?

The signs of sepsis in a child include:

  • Feels abnormally cold to touch
  • Looks mottled, bluish, or has very pale skin
  • Has a rash that does not fade when pressed
  • Is breathing very fast
  • Has a convulsion
  • Is very lethargic or difficult to wake

Additionally, for children under 5 years:

  • Not drinking or feeding
  • Repeated vomiting
  • 12 hours without urinating

If you suspect your child has sepsis, seek emergency care immediately and say, “I suspect sepsis”

What you need to know

  • Sepsis is the leading cause of death of young children and babies worldwide.
  • In the U.S., 75,000 children develop sepsis each year – that’s 200 children per day.
  • More children die of sepsis than of childhood cancers.
  • One-third of pediatric sepsis survivors show a decline in their functional status 28 days after hospital discharge.
  • Preterm infants who are Black are 13 times more likely to develop sepsis and 15 times more likely to die than non-Black infants.
  • Infants from lower-income families are 20% more likely to die from sepsis.
  • Infants from families without health insurance are 3 times more likely to die from sepsis.

Learn more about sepsis in children

For Healthcare Professionals

Join Sepsis Alliance Institute for a free webinar on April 24th!

Advancements in Pediatric Sepsis Diagnosis: Introducing the Phoenix Sepsis Score

Wednesday, April 24th, 2-3 pm ET / 11 – 12 pm PT

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and globally is one of the leading causes of death in children. An international task force sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) recently released the new definitions for sepsis and septic shock in children, the Phoenix sepsis criteria. The evolution of pediatric sepsis criteria and the introduction of the Phoenix sepsis criteria will be presented in this webinar.

The research methodology behind the Phoenix criteria for sepsis and septic shock, drawing insights from an extensive international data analysis using machine learning approaches and validation across diverse clinical settings, will also be presented. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the potential implications of implementing the Phoenix sepsis criteria in clinical practice, including its role in facilitating clinical management, quality benchmarking, epidemiological surveillance, and research.

Register Now! 

Beauden's Sepsis Story

Beauden developed sepsis after scraping his knee while on vacation. His parents are raising awareness by sharing Beauden’s sepsis story.

Help Spread Awareness

Click the below boxes for shareable resource that will help you spread awareness of sepsis in children. Remember when you share on social media to hashtag #PediatricSepsisWeek and tag @SepsisAlliance.

Sepsis and Children Video

Watch and share this video that tells the story of 8-year-old Michael who developed sepsis from an infection and became a quadruple amputee.

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Social Media Infographics

Download these infographics and share them with your social media community. Remember to hashtag #PediatricSepsisWeek and tag @SepsisAlliance.

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Social Media Infographics

Spread the word- #PediatricSepsisWeek

Click on the below infographics to download and share them with your social media community. Remember to hashtag #PediatricSepsisWeek and tag @SepsisAlliance when you do.

 

 

 

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For Instagram and Facebook (1080 x 1080) – click here

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For Instagram and Facebook (1080 x 1080) – click here

For Instagram Stories (1080 x 1920) – click here

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For Instagram and Facebook (1080 x 1080) – click here

For Instagram Stories (1080 x 1920) – click here

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**These materials are the sole property of Sepsis Alliance. These materials are meant to be shared and used for educational and awareness raising purposes only. The materials cannot be reproduced and sold for monetary value. When used for educational and awareness raising purposes, the materials must be used as follows:

  • The materials must be used in their original unaltered state, that includes not adding alternate logos, websites, or additional graphics, etc.
  • The Sepsis Alliance logo and any other logo on the material must be clearly visible
  • The trademark(s) (™)must be clearly visible
  • The copyright must be clearly visible
  • Do not add any logo to the materials, unless you have been given prior approval from Sepsis Alliance
  • The Sepsis: It’s About TIME™ logo cannot be reproduced and used without the approval of Sepsis Alliance

If you are interested in co-branding any of the materials presented, please contact Alex Sadorf at asadorf@sepsis.org for pricing information.

Bug Coloring Book

Download this printable coloring book to help children learn about preventing infections. Infection prevention equals sepsis prevention.

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Bug Coloring Pages

Download printable coloring pages featuring Bug.

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Bug Coloring Pages

Bug1 – Kaleidoscope Bug
Click here to download

Bug 2 – Rainbow Bug
Click here to download

Bug 3 – It’s Bug
Click here to download

Download all pages

Fact Sheet

Make sure you have all the latest facts about sepsis and children. Click below to download our most recent Sepsis and Children fact sheet.

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Sepsis and Children Information Guide

Click below to download this easy to print guide about sepsis and children.

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Children

  • To submit this form you are required to enter your first name, last name, a valid email address and your role.

Infographic Poster

Click below to download this infographic poster that can be printed or added to your website, with proper attribution.

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Honoring Bug’s Angels

Bug’s Angels are the children whose lives have been claimed by sepsis. Below we honor Prince, Millie, Gabriel, and Josslyn, but there are many more angels. This week and all year round we honor all of Bug’s angels.

Prince Foote

2 years old

Millie Rose Giani

5 years old

Gabriel Rojas

11 months old

Bug was inspired by the spirit of Erin “Bug” Flatley, an aspiring teacher who passed away from sepsis when she was 23 years old. She was created by Alyssia Aguilar in loving memory of her son Mark Anthony II, who was taken by sepsis when he was only 16 days old.

Learn more about Bug