Toddler Suffers Stroke After Contracting COVID-19 [First Case]

A toddler was recently reported to have suffered a stroke after contracting COVID-19. Researchers have since been studying the link between the two. 

On December 24, Colt Parris was recuperating at the University of Missouri's Women's and Children's Hospital. According to NBC affiliate KSN-TV, doctors expected that the three-year-old would make a full recovery after performing surgery to address a clot in his brain. 

A neurologist from the hospital, Dr. Camilo Gomez, said that they are studying what had happened. He told the station that COVID-19 diagnosis is essential because they believe patients tend to form clots. 

Since the start of the pandemic, researchers have been looking into the link between COVID-19 and stroke. Early this year, a research team from Wuhan, China, studied 214 patients. They found that more than one-third of the patients had neurological manifestations. 

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Could not move arms and legs

US doctors studied strokes and blood clot data gathered from COVID patients. Sara Parris, the toddler's mom, told KSN-TV that her son could not move his arm and leg hours after he tested positive. 

She noticed that when her toddler grabbed a stuffed animal, the child lost movement abilities. Parris said that when she handed her son his Boo, the three-year-old did not use his dominant hand to grab the stuffed toy. 

She explained she saw her son grab his bunny, but she noticed that something else was not right. A pediatric neurologist, Dr. Paul Carney, explained what had happened to the kid. He said that the toddler suffered a stroke that had caused the blockage of blood supply to the left side of his brain. 

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He told the station that no one has ever suffered the same as the little boy. He explained that if the same thing happened to a 40 or 60-year-old, that patient would probably have a different outcome. 

Help other people raise awareness

According to KSN-TV, the toddler's parents said they hope that their experience could raise awareness for the people about COVID-19. Tim Parris, Colt's dad, said that people need to wear masks and stuff. 

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He explained that it is important, especially if people would not want their children the same as their son's condition. He also said that people need to be aware of what could happen. Colt's father thought they would lose their son. He said that no matter how tough a person is, he would surely cry upon seeing their helpless child lying on the hospital bed. 

The Parris couple recalled the pain they endured knowing that their son was hurting. Sara said that their son's behavior was different because of the pain he is feeling. She said that they could not touch their toddler because he was swollen and everywhere hurt.