LoriAnne Surrett from North Carolina is now warning parents after her 6-year-old son, Noah, has suffered brain swellings and seizures after bitten by a mosquito.
In a now viral Facebook post, Surrett shared how she and her husband did all precautionary means to protect their kids from mosquito bites. However, Noah was not spared from the insect bite.
On Aug. 8, Surrett shared how her son first complained of a headache which lasted until the next day. Noah's lips then turned blue, he went limp, and then began having seizures as they make their way to the hospital.
La Crosse Encephalitis
Noah's temperature went as high as 102.3 degrees. It was initially thought that his high temperatures were causing his seizures.
His doctor then run a CT scan and a spinal tap, as well as urine test and chest x-ray. The spinal tap results revealed that Noah had contracted La Crosse encephalitis, a virus caused by a mosquito bite. The virus triggers the accumulation of fluids in the brain.
While Noah was sick, he was sleeping 99 percent of the time, Spurrett shared on Facebook. He only responds when the pain medications are wearing off.
"Noah is a spunky little dude that sickness never brings him down so this is breaking all of our hearts," Spurrett said.
Spurrett said she made her Facebook post public to warn other parents about the disease which proved to be not 100 percent preventable even with regular use of bug sprays.
"I want to add that the [doctors] have told me [La Crosse encephalitis] is very common in this area but this is the first I have ever heard of it... After having [five] kids I'm just now finding out about it and I didn't want to find out this way," Spurrett posted.
Facts On La Crosse Encephalitis
The rare disease is caused by a virus spread by mosquitoes according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is an average of 63 patients suffering from the disease each year in the United States.
The disease is transmitted mainly by infected mosquitoes and cannot be transferred from person to person. This means that anyone bitten by the infected mosquitoes in an area where there is virus can get the disease. People who live and frequent woodland areas are at high risk of getting infected when bitten by the mosquitoes carrying the virus. CDC saw most cases in upper Midwestern, mid-Atlantic, and southeastern states.
Symptoms of La Crosse Encephalitis include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and tiredness. Inflammation of the brain accompanied by seizures occurs most commonly in children under age 16. In extreme cases, patients can be in a coma and can experience paralysis.
Noah Goes Back Home
Noah spent almost a week in the hospital. He was now back at home with his family. He still needs continued care regiment but he is feeling better and showing significant progress.
