A little boy was left paralyzed after suffering a rare complication from chicken pox.
Freddie Rushton was just four years old when he had a stroke – a side effect of a bout of chicken pox he had 11 months earlier.
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His mother, Sarah Kilgariff, 43, said Freddie went to bed absolutely fine [with] no warning signs.”
But he woke up next shaky morning, having completely lost the use of my left side.
The little one was also unable to speak, and doctors warned that the family might not be able to walk again.
But a year later, little Freddie was invited to open the Stroke Association garden at Chelsea Flower display, radiant from ear to ear.
Sarah said she “had no idea” this devastating side effect “could happen to children”, Stroke on Trent Live reported.
On the morning of May 9, Sarah noticed Freddie was unsteady and initially thought he might have an ear infection.
But when Freddie sat on his parents’ bed, he rolled over and hit the wardrobe after losing the use of his left side.
This was the time Freddie suffered a devastating stroke, the family later discovered.
“A lot of people don’t realize this can happen,” Sarah said. “We did not do it.
“It was horrible. He lost all use of his left side, but we didn’t think it was a stroke because it wasn’t obvious at the time.
“It looked like his tongue was swelling initially and he had an EpiPen. So I called the ambulance and they said to give him the EpiPen.
“When the ambulance showed up, no one mentioned the word ‘stroke.’ They had no idea what was wrong with him.
“He was a little out of it, leaning to the left. We ended up at Royal Stoke in Intensive Care and they initially thought he had meningitis.”
Freddie underwent an MRI and CT scan at hospital and the following day doctors confirmed the four-year-old had suffered a stroke.
Because they suspected the stroke had been caused by an attack of chickenpox Freddie had had 11 months earlier, doctors performed a lumbar puncture.
This found traces of the virus in Freddie’s spinal fluid.
The virus spread to his brain, causing blood vessels to constrict and triggering a stroke.
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According to Stroke AssociationChildren who develop chickenpox may have a four-fold increased risk of stroke for six months after becoming infected.
But the charity stressed that the real risk is very small and that stroke in children is still rare.
Freddie’s was an even rarer complication, as he had a stroke almost a year after contracting chickenpox.
BEATING THE ODDS
The little one spent a month at Royal Stoke University Hospital and was visited every day by his two-year-old sister Millie.
Doctors feared Freddie would not walk again, telling Sarah the chances of him doing so were “50/50”.
Freddie beat the odds by regaining mobility while still in hospital, starting to move his left leg while showering.
He also had physical therapy and his parents kept encouraging him to keep moving.
Sarah said: “He still has some residual weakness on his left side, like his grip, and he stumbles a bit, but hopefully over time he will improve that.
“One of the biggest problems now is that he is very emotionally dysregulated, he is very agitated, which wasn’t the case before, and he is back in diapers, whereas before he was completely potty trained.
Chickenpox and horrible side effects
An itchy, blotchy rash is the most recognizable symptom of chickenpox.
The disease occurs in three phases.
- Stage one: Small red or pink spots appear anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the genitals, which can be painful
- Stage two: the spots fill with liquid and turn into blisters, which are very itchy and may burst
- Stage Three: The Spots Form a Scab
Before or after the rash appears, you may also have:
- A high temperature
- Pain and general malaise
- Loss of appetite
Chickenpox usually improves on its own within one to two weeks, without needing to see a family doctor.
But you should get advice from 111 if:
- The skin around chickenpox blisters becomes hot, sore and red – note that redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin
- Your child has chickenpox and is dehydrated
- Chickenpox symptoms suddenly worsen
- You are pregnant and have never had chickenpox before, or you are not sure and have been around someone with chickenpox
- You have a weakened immune system and have been around someone with chickenpox
- You think your newborn baby has chickenpox
Chickenpox complications
Serious complications of chickenpox include:
- Bacterial skin and soft tissue infections in children, including Group A streptococcal infections
- Infection of the lungs (pneumonia)
- Infection or swelling of the brain (encephalitis, cerebellar ataxia)
- Bleeding problems (bleeding complications)
- Bloodstream infections (sepsis)
- Dehydration
Sources: NHS, CDC
“He struggles with his speech and it has been difficult to access the education he needs.”
Despite this, Freddie remains “a happy little boy” and loves playing outdoors.
His parents became involved with the Stroke Association to raise awareness of Freddie’s condition.
Sarah said: “People don’t realize that children, teenagers and young people in their 20s and 30s have strokes.
“It’s shocking and we’re trying to raise awareness so schools can take care of it. Children can have strokes, babies can have strokes.”
The Stroke Association garden at the Chelsea Flower Show was designed by Stroke survivor Míria Harris.
It opened with Freddie’s help on May 20th.
The garden will be transported to Chapel Allerton Hospital in Leeds after the event.
Around 400 children suffer a stroke every year in the UK, according to the Stroke Association.
Children and young people may experience different symptoms than adults, including:
- Sudden and intense headache
- Seizures
- New and sudden dizziness, dizziness, or confusion
- Problems with walking or balance
- Nausea/vomiting, drowsiness or loss of consciousness
- Sudden blurred vision or loss of vision in both eyes
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- Changes in sensation, like pins and needles in the arms or legs
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
