Meningococcal: Mum urges parents to vaccinate kids after daughter faces losing fingers, toes

A West Australian mother has issued an urgent warning to parents to vaccinate their children against Meningococcal after her baby contracted the disease.

Eight-month-old Tahlea was diagnosed six weeks ago, when Chelsea Cocking woke up at 4am to her daughter struggling to breath and with a fever.

She was taken to a Geraldton hospital, and flown to Perth Children's Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Ms Cocking was told by doctors to say goodbye to her daughter.

But thanks to the awareness and quick response by the 23-year-old mother, the young girl will survive, however she will have all her fingers and toes amputated.

"It was out of the blue, really scary to watch this happen to your happy, healthy child and it took the innocence out of her and I don't want this to happen to anyone else's kids," Ms Cocking said.

“No family should have to go through what Tahlea and our family has gone through.”

The Geraldton family of five will now move to the capital to be closer to their daughter – who is likely to spend six months at Perth Children's Hospital.

Tahlea was not eligible for the government’s free vaccine because she’s less than 12-months-old.

Figures show 45 per cent of children between one and four-years-old are not vaccinated.

Of the 36 cases of Meningococcal cases reported this year, 17 have been in children aged four and under who were not vaccinated.

The WA Government has announced it will extend the free Meningococcal ACWY vaccine program for children aged one to four.