A 10-year-old boy from Michigan suffered four amputations of his hands and feet after a rare disease of severe inflammatory disease related to coronavirus.
Dae’Shun Jamison was diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and had his right leg amputated in early February at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, spokeswoman for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, where the boy was admitted. in rehabilitation and recovery, he confirmed to Fox News. The child was transferred back to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on Monday for amputations of both hands and left leg.
Brittney Autman, the child’s mother, detailed the story on a GoFundMe page, writing on Tuesday: “Dae’Shun is very emotional about his amputations and breaks my heart. Please keep the prayers coming. ”
Patients struggling with this rare and severe inflammatory condition could lose their limbs due to a hyperinflammatory response that affects the blood’s ability to clot in the body, an expert explained.
According to Dr. Rosemary Olivero, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, some patients with MIS-C suffer from severe heart dysfunction, affecting the way the body pumps blood to the rest of the body. Cardiac dysfunction, combined with blood clotting problems or bleeding, can compound to obstruct blood flow throughout the body, she said.
Autman said her son had to have his hands amputated “due to lack of blood flow and damaged tissues in his hands,” he wrote last month, “Dae’Shun have [sic] had a blood clot in the artery of his right hand for over 2 weeks and the blood thinner he is on is [sic] Not working…”
Some patients with MIS-C do have extreme changes in their blood clotting factors. Some of them can clot too much in certain parts of the body and then too little in other parts of their body, “Olivero said, adding,” Improper clotting is one of the very serious consequences of MIS-C. It does not happen to all patients, but it can happen to some and can really lead to further damage to the organs due to the mechanics of blood flow. ”
While medical professionals have become more adept at standardized care for MIS-C, the syndrome continues to be incredibly difficult due to the complex nature of the disease, Olivero said.
When the child was told about the amputations in January, Autman wrote, “He understood everything. He understood that when he did [would] wake up her leg will not look the same. Dae’Shun burst into tears [sic] me in so many ways ”.
The boy had struggled with a severe course of the disease throughout the winter, his mother detailing his treatment involving kidney dialysis, lung support and a feeding tube.
Olivero said the amputations resulting from MIS-C are “a unique and unfortunate consequence.”
MIS-C usually occurs a few weeks after previous COVID-19 infection and can lead to organ damage due to a hyperinflammatory response.
“Your body eliminates a ton of inflammatory chemicals that really spread the immune system, which can be very harmful to the body’s organs,” Olivero explained, detailing MIS-C.
The treatments aim to ease an intense inflammatory response that involves the reaction to the infection. Specifically, treatments involve IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulin treatment) or antibody pools with particularly strong anti-inflammatory properties, as well as steroids to calm the immune system. Children with persistent inflammatory problems or those in need of intensive care may receive better targeted anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory drugs.
If a child is infected with COVID-19, they generally tend to do better, developing only mild or asymptomatic illnesses. This could make it difficult for parents to notice a case of MIS-C early. However, significant community-based transmission of COVID-19 is likely to increase the prevalence of MIS-C, and parents should monitor their children for signs such as fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, inflammation of the skin, eyes, hands or feet, rash. . or lips or eyes that look red, Olivero said. Some children have swollen hands or feet, while others have enlarged lymph nodes.
The expert recommended that any parent who is concerned about MIS-C contact their doctor immediately for evaluation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been more than 2,000 MIS-C cases reported nationwide since February 1, disproportionately affecting minority populations.