MISSOULA, Mont. (KECI) – A few months after contracting COVID-19, a 13-year-old boy from Montana is considered a “long hauler” because he continues to experience symptoms due to the disease, including heart problems, muscle weakness and breathing problems.
There have been months of agony for 13-year-old Hudson Beard, who contracted COVID-19 in November. He has not been to school since then and continues to feel symptoms, many severe, due to the disease.
“It’s hard,” Hudson said. “It’s very difficult when doctors don’t have an answer and they’re like, ‘Well, in time, let’s see what happens and you could improve. We do not know. ‘”
In December, doctors diagnosed Hudson with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a disorder that causes him to have a heart rhythm while standing. Every time he gets to his feet or does basic tasks, such as reading or watching TV, he has dizziness.
Since then, his symptoms have become more severe, sending him to a Colorado hospital for new problems discovered in his heart.
“The coronary arteries are both dilated,” Hudson said.
“His heart, I didn’t catch that for two months,” said Lisa Beard, Hudson’s mother. “So now we’re dealing with a coronary heart problem that we don’t know will solve.”
Hudson also has new breathing problems, continuous migraines, gastrointestinal problems and problems with the left side of his body, as if he had suffered a stroke.
“He has a lot of muscle weakness and there was a lot of atrophy on his entire left side,” Beard said. “So rehabilitation is just like having a stroke.”
Hudson now has a dedicated team of doctors and specialists who support him and his family on their journey, but are still desperate for answers and healing.
“I was wondering why I have all these symptoms and a new one appears every two weeks and why no doctor can explain this,” Hudson said.
Hudson has a new turtle that helps him pass the time during the day, along with listening to audio books. Until more answers come, his days will continue to include doctors’ appointments and tests, while his parents do everything they can to bring him on the road to recovery.
“A lot of people really don’t understand how dramatic the effects of COVID are on children,” Beard said. “Many times we want to protect the most vulnerable, the little ones under 1 and the elderly, but Hudson was a thriving young man, very active for 13 years, and the rest of my family has recovered, and he hasn’t.”
Doctors say there is much more cardiac involvement in people who have had COVID-19 than they initially thought. One study used cardiac MRIs on 100 patients recovering from the virus, showing cardiac involvement in 78 of the patients and myocardial inflammation in 60.
If you have had COVID-19 and feel chest pain or palpitations, it is a good idea to consult your doctor.
For children who have had COVID-19, even without major symptoms, doctors recommend an examination before returning to exercise or sports.
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