Tampons are famously the way more easy-going solution to the modern girl’s menstrual woes than, well, the excruciatingly uncomfortable sanitary pads. But they do come with a catch – the risk of contracting Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). And even though every box comes with leaflets with extensive warnings (albeit, in fine print) about the condition, we remain relatively oblivious to the very real threat that TSS poses to tampon-users around the world.
Yahoo News reported, a 13 year-old girl in the UK fell prey to TSS and her mother is speaking out to warn other women after her daughter passed away.
Diane Roberts’s 13 year-old daughter, Jemma-Louise first felt uneasy while on a family vacation and was originally diagnosed with a stomach bug. When her condition continued to deteriorate, her family brought her to a hospital where blood tests showed evidence of the staphylococcus bacteria, linked to TSS and sepsis.
The young girl, a competitive swimmer, had reportedly begun using tampons because they allowed her to continue training even through her menstrual cycle.
Since, the symptoms of TSS can be deceptively similar to those of the flu, the full extent of the danger she was in was not discovered until it was too late. A week after being diagnosed, Jemma-Louise died of a brain bleed while on a heart and lung machine.
Roberts is now sharing her daughter’s story to raise awareness about an illness that she states does not get enough attention. “My husband had never heard of TSS — if one dad reads this and his daughter falls ill, it could save her life.” she said.
Experts do say, however, that while TSS is something to be aware of, it shouldn’t scare teenagers from using tampons entirely. Only about one in every 100,000 women who use tampons contract TSS every year, according to a study out of the University of Minnesota.
“Certainly tampons are safe to use,” Aaron Glatt, MD and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America told Yahoo Parenting. “At the same time, there is a potential risk of toxic shock syndrome with the more absorbent, heavier tampons because people think they can leave them in for longer periods of time.”
According to doctors, anyone using a tampon should be sure to take them out after six hours, use low-absorbancy products and if you have a rash, if you have high fevers, if you are confused, seek medical help as soon as possible – and mention specifically that you’re using tampons.
As easy as tampons make our lives, women, the danger of TSS is not one to be taken lightly. It is through awareness and careful, informed use that we can most effectively battle the threat that TSS poses to us all.
