When the Night Seemed Ordinary
In mid-March, life felt normal in Jane and Alan’s home. Their three-year-old daughter, Lola, had been her usual lively self during the day, full of energy and curiosity. That night, however, Alan was jolted awake by the sound of coughing from Lola’s room. When he reached her bedside, he realized she was being sick. It looked like nothing more than a common childhood illness. Alan stayed with her, calmly waiting until she was finished, checking her temperature, and giving her Calpol to ease her tummy ache. Soon, Lola settled back to sleep, and the night passed without further alarm.
A Morning That Changed Everything
By morning, Lola seemed well again. She played, talked, and behaved like any other toddler bouncing back after a brief illness. But Jane noticed something that made her heart drop. The whites of Lola’s eyes looked wrong. They weren’t bright and clear, but tinged with an unusual yellow color. Jane knew what that meant. Jaundice. In adults, it can be serious. In children, it’s never something to ignore. While toddlers often get upset stomachs, jaundice can signal something far more dangerous.
Trusting a Mother’s Instinct
Jane didn’t wait. She called 111 and explained what she had seen. The advice was immediate and firm: take Lola to the urgent treatment centre at Gravesend Hospital. There, doctors examined Lola thoroughly. Although she still appeared cheerful and alert, the medical team shared Jane’s concern. They advised the family to go straight to A&E at Darent Valley Hospital. The urgency in their voices made it clear this was no longer routine.
Test Results That Stopped Time
At Darent Valley Hospital, more tests were carried out. Jane and Alan waited, trying to keep Lola entertained, clinging to the hope that this was all a misunderstanding. Then the doctors returned with news that changed everything. Lola’s blood results were very abnormal. Serious enough to require specialist care. Without delay, the family was transferred to the paediatric liver unit at King’s College Hospital.
Learning What the Liver Really Does
At King’s, the medical team began running INR tests, which measure how long it takes blood to clot. Jane learned that this is one of the liver’s most vital functions. Doctors explained it gently but clearly: if Lola’s INR level reached four, she would need a liver transplant. The words felt unreal. Liver transplant. For a three-year-old who was still laughing and playing. It felt impossible to reconcile what the doctors were saying with the little girl walking around the ward holding her parents’ hands.
Hope Built on How She Looked
Days passed, and Lola didn’t seem unwell. She laughed, chatted with nurses, and explored the ward with curiosity. Her INR level rose slowly, but she showed no outward signs of being seriously ill. Jane and Alan clung to that fact. Surely a child who looked so well couldn’t be in real danger. They believed her body would fight whatever was happening. They believed they would go home soon.
The Answer That Brought Relief And Fear
Daily blood tests continued. One of these tests finally provided an answer. Lola had adenovirus. Doctors reassured Jane and Alan that adenovirus was treatable. There was a special medication that could be given through an IV drip. For the first time since arriving at King’s, there was a sense of relief. A cause had been found. A treatment existed. This nightmare finally had a clear path forward.
The News No Parent Is Ready For
That relief lasted only one day. The following morning, Jane and Alan were called into a quiet room. Doctors sat with them and delivered news that shattered everything they had been holding onto. Lola was suffering from acute liver failure, secondary to adenovirus. Her liver was failing. Completely. The words hung heavy in the air. This was no longer a situation that might resolve on its own. This was life-threatening.
Watching a Child Who Doesn’t Understand
The hardest part was looking at Lola. She still didn’t understand what was happening. She still wanted to play, to cuddle, to laugh. Her parents had to smile through their terror, holding her close while their world collapsed silently around them. Jane later said that nothing prepares you for being told your child’s liver is failing while she’s sitting on your lap, smiling up at you.
Living Inside Uncertainty
From that moment on, every hour felt fragile. Doctors monitored Lola constantly. Discussions about transplant readiness became real, no longer hypothetical. Jane and Alan learned to live inside uncertainty, celebrating each small stable moment while fearing the next test result. The days blurred together, filled with medical language, quiet prayers, and an overwhelming sense of helpless love.
Why Jane Chose to Share This Story
Jane shares Lola’s story not for sympathy, but to help other families. Acute Paediatric Hepatitis made headlines around the world, but behind every headline is a family like hers, blindsided by a diagnosis that came without warning. Jane wants parents to trust their instincts. To notice the small signs. To never dismiss jaundice, even when a child seems otherwise fine.
A Childhood Interrupted Too Soon
Lola’s journey is one of sudden illness, unimaginable fear, and extraordinary resilience. It is the story of a little girl who went to bed with a tummy bug and woke up fighting for her life. It is also the story of parents who learned, in the hardest way possible, how quickly normal life can disappear.
Still Holding On to Hope
Today, Jane and Alan continue to hold onto hope. Hope in medicine. Hope in awareness. Hope that sharing Lola’s story will help another family act quickly, ask questions, and maybe catch the signs sooner. Because no parent should ever have to learn what acute liver failure looks like in a three-year-old.
Read the full, deeply moving continuation of Lola’s journey in the comments below. 👇
