Playing And Getting Sick.
Re’nee Wallace
Published August 8,2022
RSO: read and speak out
A woman named Lisa shared her story, and I was intrigued. I was contacted by a lady named Lisa, to talk about a recent episode with her 17-month-old boy. We will call him, Jason. Jason awoke that morning cranky, which was normal lately because he was cutting two new teeth. So Lisa promptly took Jason’s temperature, 102.1, and out came the Tylenol! He was given medicine and he ate breakfast. The day was shaping out to be very typical. Jason ran and played, then it was nap time.
Lisa had the routine of changing Jason into a comfortable onesie. Retrieving him from his play spot, and doing a little tickle. She noticed he was hot, she chalked it up to his playtime. Lisa laid Jason on the bed and started to change his diaper while talking to him, but she noticed Jason was not looking at her. Jason’s eyes looked glassy and distant. This concerned her because she had never seen that look in any of her children. Lisa proceeded to take Jason into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. Turning on the water, cloth in hand, Jason’s head went limp, and as for description, it only resembled a rag doll. His eyes rolled back in his head, then his whole body went stiff, and she knew immediately he was convulsing. A seizure, but Lisa had only ever seen this on TV. As she raced past two gates and down fourteen steps, she was overcome with panic, terror, and adrenaline. When Lisa grabbed the phone, she heard the vomit hit the floor, but mostly she felt it soaking her back. Jason became very lethargic, his breathing was labored, and his heart was racing. Lisa laid him on the couch, trying to unlock her phone, but her shaking hands wouldn’t work. Desperately, she threw the door open, screaming for someone to call 911. Vaguely remembering her words, “my baby isn’t breathing.” She saw that someone was calling, and ran back into the house, but she got her phone unlocked calling 911 herself. All the while trying to keep the baby awake. The person calling 911 came into the house to get more information. She answered questions for 911 all while she kept trying to rouse Jason. She responded to questions that now have no meaning. Lisa had just one focus, on her child.
She knew she had to call her husband, Mike. After, relaying all the information, she became insistent to call her husband and get off the phone with 911. Finally, she was able to let him know what happened. Later to find out that he made a U-turn on a dime to race back. It seemed like a lifetime, then the ambulance showed up. Every fiber of Lisa wanted to scream when they seemed to move rather slow. They didn’t know the entrance and were walking up the street. When they got to work and as more arrived, their pace quickened. The paramedic asked Lisa for Tylenol, trying to reduce the fever they found. Questions were established, and he was stabilized, except for his temperature. The paramedic insisted Jason would be okay, as she went and changed because vomit still soaked her back. When they strapped Jason, so small, unto the gurney, that was hard for Lisa. On the way to the hospital, it was tense, and it felt like she would never arrive. Once in the hospital, everything became a blur, and Jason was given Ibuprofen to reduce his fever, which he was running at 101.4. The stabilization process and monitoring began, and Mike finally came into the room. He was very upset, wanting to know what had happened. Lisa explained what the doctor had told her. The body can’t handle Jason’s rising temperature, so a febrile seizure occurs to counteract it. If there was another, then the alarm would be raised. “So you get one free seizure,” said the doctor. Jason came through and he was discharged. Thank goodness, but the story couldn’t end there. One more event had to happen, and when Mike went to get the car, it was gone. Apparently, Mike was so distraught that he had parked in a tow area.
Though I have five children, I had never heard of a febrile seizure. I wanted to share this story because awareness is key. I am including a website with more information on the topic. Mike, Lisa, and Jason are all fine and Jason has not had another seizure. There is no way to stop a seizure, but knowing the signs will help
Here is a resource for more information.
Thanks for joining me. Please subscribe, like, and comment. Stay up to date and never miss a story.
Read And Speak Out 