As North Carolina and beyond continues to grapple with a deadly pandemic, one local family is spreading the word of the serious nature of how COVID-19 can affect the young.
Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, many of the warnings have centered around the elderly and those with underlying health concerns, but more information is now coming to light regarding a serious inflammatory illness that can affect children.
Lucas Markle, son of Brittany Markle of Elkin, is among those who have been diagnosed with what is known as MIS-C Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.
“This is a new disease but we are constantly learning more about how various organs can be affected, including the heart,” said Kacy Ramirez, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease physician with Brenner Children’s Hospital. “Initial symptoms often include a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, redness of the eyes and mouth or confusion, so if a child experiences these symptoms, we urge parents to contact their pediatrician right away. For more serious issues such as difficulty breathing or seizures, children should be brought immediately to the nearest emergency department.”
Six-year old Lucas’ illness came to light earlier this month. He was supposed to be heading to the beach with his grandparents on Aug. 1 but he wasn’t feeling so good.
“Lucas woke up Saturday morning with a fever, cough and the chills,” Markle said. “I immediately took him to Hugh Chatham Urgent Care because, well, COVID. They swabbed him for COVID, told me it would take three to 10 days to get the result and sent us on our way.”
Markle said for two nights she set an alarm for every hour or two to keep a check on her son’s temperature and alternatively giving him Motrin and Tylenol.
“I watched his temperature climb to scary numbers. I watched my normally rambunctious boy not move from the couch for 24 hours,” said Markle. “On Monday morning I packed a bag and drove him to Brenner Emergency Department under the assumption he was probably dehydrated since he had little to drink and little output. I assumed he would be given fluids and a chest x-ray and be released home. Six hours and multiple tests later I was told we were being admitted. Lucas’ heart rate was high and blood pressure was low.”
“A rapid COVID test was done and we spent our first night in a unit for individuals with pending COVID tests. Around midnight a pediatric response team rushed in the room because his vitals did not look good. He was stabilized and soon after we received news that his active COVID test was negative. We were moved to pediatric intermediate care unit and that is where we remain. Vitals are improving and lab work is improving, however, he is covered in a rash and his entire body is inflamed,” Markle said on Aug. 5.
“The consensus of several doctors is that he has something called MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children),” she continued. “There is not a lot of information or literature on this because it’s so new. It is seen in children who previously had COVID and then four to six weeks later they present with symptoms related to MIS-C. Let me be clear, Lucas never had any symptoms. No one in our family had symptoms. It is unclear where the exposure originated from. We are waiting on his antibody test to come back but the physicians are in agreement that Lucas, and possibly, other family members were asymptomatic.”
Markle said she was “surrounded by amazing people” including family and friends who have supported her and her son during this time. She also praised the staff and physicians at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem.
“The physicians and staff at Brenner are amazing, and that is an understatement,” said Markle.
The family got good news over the weekend when Lucas was well enough to leave the hospital, but Markle said he will continue to be closely monitored in the coming weeks.
“Lucas was discharged on Saturday, Aug. 8. He is definitely getting better,” she said. “We have been cuddling and watching movies. He is still tired and recovering from his week in the hospital, but I am seeing glimpses of my little boy.z’
Lucas has returned to some of his favorite activities since being released from the hospital such as looking for bugs outside, playing with his cars and Nurf guns, Markle said.
“We have scheduled follow up appointments with his pediatrician, rheumatology and cardiology; two appointments this week. He is on four medications currently and will be for some time. We are all hopeful that he will continue to improve and we won’t see any long-term effects,” she said. “We don’t know the long term effects of MIS-C. Lucas will be followed for weeks and months to come. I have no idea how this will effect him in the future. I have no idea about a lot of things.”
After spending a week in the hospital with her son, Markle is expressing concern over school children returning to the classroom later this month in the midst of this continued health crisis that can affect all ages.
“I encourage each and every parent to have a serious discussion about sending your child(ren) school this fall,” she said.
For some who doubt the seriousness of COVID-19, Markle had a stark warning: “For those of you who think COVID is a ‘hoax’ or ‘no worse than the flu’ or ‘kids don’t get COVID’, picture this: picture two or three grown men laying on your child while they put IV’s in each arm as he begs for his mommy to make them stop. Picture your child crying for just a sip of water but you have to refuse because he’s NPO so more tests can be done. Picture your child begging to go home every five minutes. Picture being in a room alone while groups of five to 10 doctors from each discipline ask questions and give information: Infectious disease doctors, pediatricians, rheumatologists, cardiologists, hematologist. Picture being told, ‘we don’t have any answers.’ Picture sleepless nights, extreme anxiety, feelings of utter helplessness and that pit in your stomach because well, you just don’t know what will happen.”
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-679-2341 or on Twitter and Instagram @RippleReporterK.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com