In Houston, Texas, a six-year-old boy previously afflicted with the COVID-19 complication MIS-C is thankfully still with us. His mom, Sara Cantu, has been helping to educate fellow parents about the warning signs with the help of CircumSTANCE — a group that aims to spread awareness.
What is the COVID-19 Complication MIS-C?
NEW: Texas Children's Hospital has cared for more than 150 patients with a terrible inflammatory condition linked to Covid-19, called MIS-C
Yet the CDC has tallied fewer than 100 cases of MIS-C in the whole state
And Texas isn't the only onehttps://t.co/GUnhGPEaoc
— Anna Edney (@annaedney) May 18, 2021
MIS-C, or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, inflames the heart, lungs, and brain, according to the CDC. It’s a rare off-shoot of COVID-19 that appears in children, typically three to four weeks after becoming ill. Only 1% of children who contract Covid end up being afflicted.
Unfortunately, young Santana, was part of that 1% in Texas. He was hospitalized for over two weeks battling off the rare syndrome. “They said, ‘I think we need to intubate him, and it’s going to be the best thing for him because we need his heart to recover,” Cantu recounted to ABC7.
At this time, it was unclear if Santana would recover. Information about MIS-C was scarce, what was known was inconclusive, and the long-term side effects post-recovery are still unknown.
Not knowing what to expect, Cantu wondered if this would be the last time she would talk to her son. She took videos to hold dear as memories before sending him to the Texas Children’s Hospital for a 16-day stay in the ICU.
Very Little is Known About MIS-C
New research is shedding light on how kids are affected by #COVID19. Some youth #COVID cases have developed into MIS-C, a rare but dangerous inflammatory condition in children.
@cbsmireya spoke with one affected family in Texas, whose 8-year-old son was nearly killed from it. pic.twitter.com/Kdr6djjB5d
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 19, 2021
With the lack of information available for parents, Cantu joined up with CircumSTANCE. At the time, this was more of a support group for similar situations. Since the emergence of MIS-C, however, the group has adopted it with aims to educate.
Cantu says that finding that purpose helped her find the strength to get through it. She recalls telling her son to be strong but wasn’t sure how she was going to do that, herself. Educating parents on how to recognize signs of MIS-C made a significant difference.
Symptoms include stomach pain, bloodshot eyes, and dizziness, and should be looked for in the weeks following a contraction of COVID-19.
Thankfully, Santana is on the mend and on the way to full recovery, but Cantu stays vigilant in studying and spreading awareness about long-term side effects
Do you know anyone with a child affected by the COVID-19 complication MIS-C? Do you have any insights to share about this syndrome, from personal experience? Let us know in the comments below.
