A 10-year-old boy from Michigan suffered four hand and leg amputations after a rare outbreak of a serious coronavirus-related inflammatory disease.
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, spokesman for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, where the boy went into rehabilitation and recovery, 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 related GoFundMe page, writing on Tuesday: “Dae’Shun is very moved by his amputations and it breaks my heart. Please continue to pray. “
Patients struggling with this rare and severe inflammatory condition may experience limb loss due to a hyperinflammatory response that affects the body’s blood clotting ability, an expert explained.
According to Dr. Rosemary Olivero, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, some patients with MIS-C experience severe cardiac dysfunction, affecting how the body pumps blood to the rest of the body. Cardiac dysfunction, along with problems with blood clotting or bleeding, can worsen to obstruct blood flow throughout the body, she said.
Autman said his son needed to amputate his hands “due to the lack of blood flow and damaged tissue in his hands”, also writing last month, “Dae’Shun has [sic] had a blood clot in the right hand artery for more than 2 weeks and the anticoagulants he’s using are [sic] is not working…”
“Some patients with MIS-C have really extreme changes in their blood clotting factors. Some of them can actually clot a lot in some parts of the body and very little in other parts of the body, “said Olivero, adding later,” inadequate clotting is one of several very serious consequences of MIS-C. It doesn’t happen in all patients, but it can happen in some and it can actually lead to more damage to the organs because of the mechanics of blood flow. “
Although medical professionals have become more adept at standardized treatment for MIS-C, the syndrome remains incredibly challenging due to the complex nature of the disease, Olivero said.
When the child learned of the amputations in January, Autman wrote: “he understood everything. He understood this when he [would] waking up your leg won’t look the same. Dae’Shun completely broke down in tears, which affected [sic] me in many ways. “
The boy battled a severe course of the disease during the winter, with his mother detailing his treatment involving kidney dialysis, lung support and a feeding tube.
Olivero said that the amputations resulting from MIS-C are “a unique and unfortunate consequence”.
MIS-C usually appears several weeks after the previous COVID-19 infection and can cause organ damage due to a hyperinflammatory response.
“Your body is excreting a ton of inflammatory chemicals that actually propagate the immune system, which can be very harmful to the body’s organs,” explained Olivero, detailing the MIS-C.
The treatments aim to mitigate an intense inflammatory response involving reaction to the infection. More specifically, treatments involve IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulin treatment), or pools of antibodies with particularly potent anti-inflammatory characteristics, as well as steroids to calm the immune system. Children with persistent inflammatory problems or those requiring intensive treatment may receive more targeted anti-inflammatories or immunomodulators.
If a child is infected with COVID-19, he usually tends to do better, developing only a mild or asymptomatic illness. This can make it challenging for parents to identify a case of MIS-C early. However, the significant transmission of COVID-19 in the community is likely to increase the prevalence of MIS-C and parents should monitor children for signs such as fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, inflammation of the skin, eyes, hands or feet, rash or red lips or eyes, Olivero said. Some children have swollen hands or feet, while others have enlarged lymph nodes.
The specialist recommended that any parent with concerns about MIS-C contact their doctor immediately for evaluation.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been more than 2,000 cases of MIS-C reported across the country since February 1, disproportionately affecting minority populations.