Children complain of all sorts of ailments and often rest, relaxation and a spoonful of medicine is all that’s needed for them to bounce back.
That’s just what Ellis Artist, from England, had when he came home complaining of a headache. His mom gave him a mild painkiller and fed him, ensuring he got an early night.
The six-year-old quickly bounced back after having the medicine but following just a few hours asleep he woke up screaming in pain.
“Then he woke up in the middle of the night screaming that his head and neck hurt and he was vomiting because of the pain,” his aunt Nicola Bicknell told The Sun.
His family, from Halifax, decided that he should stay with his grandma the next day instead of going to school. As his condition deteriorated she took him to the doctor and was told he could have a virus.
Two hours later he was rushed to hospital.
Medically induced coma
Ellis was in and out of consciousness and his family was told he could have viral meningitis.
After he was given a scan doctors discovered he had a swelling on his brain and he was put in a medically induced coma. The swelling then spread to his spine.
His family were told that little Ellis had acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a condition that follows viral or bacterial infections.
“They don’t know what this could mean for him. They said they’ve seen people come in with this virus and go home okay but have also seen it cause disabilities,” his aunt Nicola told The Sun.
‘He’s a normal six-year-old lad’
“He was on a ventilator, however, is breathing on his own now but he’s been having these mini seizures which they think are being caused by the swelling.
“Ellis is an energetic, happy boy. He’s quite boisterous, he’s a normal six-year-old lad who loves Bradford City football club.”
We hope Ellis has recovered from his ordeal.
Please share to let other parents know the warning signs of this rare brain swelling disease.
