Two babies died from a rare disease in the last few months. Others were left sicker, according to their families and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The mothers of the babies warned that it is easy to miss the illness, also known as Human Parechovirus. This is due to misinformation regarding the symptoms.
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Parechovirus causes seizures, fever, sepsis-like signs in newborns.
The CDC issued a warning after Ronan DeLacy’s and Waylon Hood’s deaths, which occurred just over a month ago. “received reports from healthcare providers in multiple states of PeV infections in neonates and young infants.”
Ronan’s mom Kat DeLancy talked exclusively with The Sun. She explained to us that parents may ignore other signs of illness and focus only on a fever.
“If we are looking for a fever to be a diagnostic marker, several children will be overlooked and it will delay care,”According to The Sun of the United States, DeLancy spoke out.
DeLancy noted that baby Ronan’s initial symptoms were a refusal to eat, irritability, and redness on his chest, but not necessarily a fever, despite the CDC information.
“Something that I want stressed is that Ronan never had a fever. I’ve spoken with several other parents of children who have had children suffer with this virus who said the same,” DeLancy said.
“Ronan had difficulty maintaining his body temperature high enough, as did many other infants after they were admitted.”
Maddison Hood’s son, Waylon, also experienced symptoms and issues similar to Ronan’s.
She told The US Sun that her son’s body temperature was in fact lower than normal as well.
“His pediatrician said that all of his vitals were fine but she wanted me to take him to a children’s ER for further evaluation. When we got there, his temperature was low so they put him on a warm blanket,”Hood spoke to The Sun of the USA.
Similar to Ronan’s struggle with oxygen saturation per comments with news12Baby Waylon had difficulty breathing and required additional procedures such as a CT scan or spinal tap.
“As soon as he was placed on the blanket, he stopped breathing so they intubated him and did a CT and a spinal tap,”Hood spoke to The Sun of the USA.
The CT would confirm that it was Parechovirus.
Both Ronan, Waylon and others suffered seizures and brain damage from the virus.
Hood said that Waylon was dead after she was told by doctors. “significant irreversible brain damage.”
DeLancy was informed by doctors that Ronan had suffered seizures.
DeLancy stressed the importance of Parechovirus protection and what doctors have said about it. She stated that she believes exposure to Parechovirus is more likely to have occurred at the hospital.
“The advice doctors have been giving is ‘keep newborns away from sick people’ which should be obvious, and we did that,”According to The Sun of the United States, DeLancy spoke out.
“He had been exposed to MANY more people (only hospital staff) while he was in the hospital when he was born and it’s possible that is where many of these children are picking up the virus.”
Hood and DeLancy, who have had similar experiences, are now trying to increase awareness about Parechovirus.
DeLancy and her husband started a website. ResearchforRonan.comIt aims to raise awareness about all things related to Human Parechovirus.
Hood also made efforts to honor Waylon by helping other infants.
“I am able to donate my breastmilk even almost three months after his passing. I am still pumping every four hours to be able to donate to babies in need, in his honor,”She told The US Sun.
The official CDC warning can be found here for parents HereHere are some additional details about the illness.