Since the beginning of the pandemic, three people have died in Arizona from a rare COVID-related disease in children, according to the Arizona Department of Health.
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An ADHS representative told ABC15 that they had received reports of three confirmed deaths related to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children or MIS-C. With regard to privacy issues, the agency will not disclose further details.
MIS-C is a very rare but serious condition that affects some children a few weeks after a COVID-19 infection or exposure.
A mother in the valley, Reanna Milliman, told ABC15 that her 8-year-old daughter Raelynn was recently released from hospital after spending more than two weeks in the ICU for MIS-C.
“She feels so much better and she’s happy,” Milliman said.
That was not the case in March, when Milliman said fever and fatigue had increased and her daughter began suffering from severe gastrointestinal problems that landed Raelynn in the ICU.
“Talking to the surgeon and telling me he would have to remove his entire colon … was an extremely difficult thing for a mother to hear,” she said.
Fortunately, Raelynn did not have to undergo surgery, although she also dealt with blood clots and now meets with doctors regularly as she recovers.
The Arizona Department of Health told ABC15 that there were 116 confirmed cases of MIS-C in Arizona.
“Every time we had an increase in COVID-19 cases, that increase in COVID-19 cases was followed by an increase in MIS-C cases,” said Dr. Wassim Ballan, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Ballan said that fever is a major component of the diagnosis of MIS-C, but other symptoms may include abdominal pain, vomiting, rash or pink eyes, among others.
“Having a fever is a common thing,” said Dr. Ballan. “This does not mean that every time a child has a fever we have to be very concerned about MIS-C. But there is certainly something to keep in mind while dealing with the pandemic, especially if there is a [COVID-19] exposure that happened before. “
Milliman, whose daughter was treated at another hospital in the Valley, said Raelynn is doing much better, but she still has a bleak path as she continues to recover.
“She is now able to eat normally and play normally and laugh normally,” Milliman said. “In the hospital, the doctors told me this was one of the worst cases they had ever seen.”
Although it is a rare condition, Milliman hopes to raise awareness among other parents.
“Be aware of these signs and do not take them lightly,” she said.
Milliman still has a GoFundMe account to help his daughter, which you can find HERE.