A 3-year-old boy from Missouri has been partially paralyzed after suffering a stroke after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
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According to a report by NBC affiliate KSN-TV, Colt Parris was brought to the University of Missouri Women’s and Children’s Hospital last week after he stopped eating and drinking. Upon closer inspection, a COVID test was administered – which yielded a positive result – before the boy’s son, Sara Parris, noticed that something was wrong with her son.
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“There was a lack of blood supply on the left side of the brain,” said Dr. Paul Carney, pediatric neurologist, said
“I noticed on Wednesday that his speech was a bit off, but I honestly thought he was in so much pain and he’s so tired,” Sara said. ‘So, I went to hand over his Boo to him, and I noticed that he did not use his dominant arm to grab it. He grabs his bunny and grabs again, something else is not right. ‘
After a series of tests, doctors told Sara and her husband Tim Parris that their son had a blockage in his brain.
“The result came back and I looked at it and it was a clear stroke,” Dr. Paul Carney, a neurologist at MU Health Care who diagnosed the toddler, told the outlet. “So there was a lack of blood supply on the left side of the brain.”
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Carney, who said he has been practicing medicine for 20 years, noted that he has never seen anything like the case of Colt.
“What was different here was a child, and as I mention, there is really no other case like this,” he said. “If it was someone older than 40 or 60, they would probably have had a very different outcome.”
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Colt needed surgery to remove the blood clot – which the Dr.’s neurologist said.
‘The COVID diagnosis is important because we think the reason for it [patients] with COVID, including the child, having strokes and a variety of other problems is that they tend to form blood clots, ”Gomez said.
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Colt’s parents are hopeful that they can make others aware of the possible consequences of COVID by sharing their story.
“Masks and stuff like that, people have to wear them,” Tim said. “This is important. If you do not want your children to go through this, people need to be more aware.”
Carney echoed the sentiment. “If children do get it, it becomes COVID, it seems they have more systemic or systemic problems, especially in the heart that can last a lifetime,” he said. “It can scar the heart.”
Colt’s mother and father also added that they are grateful to the hospital staff who saved their son’s life. “That team is the most amazing, phenomenal person,” Sara said.
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