Encephalitis

[livingwith]

my 12 year old daughter is currently in hospital recovering from operation to relieve cerebellum swelling from encephalitis. She had severe headaches/vomiting/slurred speech. Still cannot move arms and breathe on her own at night. After 2 weeks of test after test, neurologists/infectious disease experts still don’t know what kind of virus she contracted.

I belive it is mosquito-related having seen mosquito bites on stomach, however, west nile ruled out as well as herpes and some animal...Read the full article

[Mary K.]

My now 19 year old daughter was hospitalized with chickenpox encephalitis when she was 4 1/2 yrs. old. It wasn't as severe as your daughter's case, but we were worried none the less. It seems to us that our pediatrician (who is now retired) said that while rare, symptoms of the encephalitis could re-occur later in her life. Have you ever been told this? My husband and I have noticed unusual occurrences lately out of her such as mumbling, inaccuracy in relaying information and misinterpretation of a situation. (she thought I was standing right next to her while she said something, therefore I should know what was going on-but I wasn't there) I don't know if this makes sense, but does any of this sound like anything the doctors have told you about long term effects, etc. of encephalitis? Again, our daughter's case was chickenpox encephalitis, which started 10 days after the onset of the chickenpox virus

[dianna]

I have a 17 year old cousin who is in the hospital now with encephalitis. She has reverted to a 5 year old and has swelling on the left side of her brain which has went down some and she has gotten feeling back in her right arm though she doesn't have much strength in it. They don't know what kind of virus she has either. I went to see her today and she never talked at all. I don't know if she is confused or is getting worse or what. If you find out anything please let me know.

[Mary K.]

Hi Dianna~Did your cousin have any signs or symptoms before the diagnosis of encephalitis? I wonder if it could be a long term affect of a virus she suffered as a child? Have the doctors given your family any prognosis and how do they treat it?

[dianna]

As far as I know she didn't have a virus when she was little. I don't know if they checked for that or not. I do know that every test has come out clear. The only symptoms that I know of that she had was that she started acting strange and started acting like a child (5 yrs). There were no headaches, etc.

[Mary K.]

From what I know about encephalitis, this case is so weird! I bet her doctors are baffled, too. Is there any chance she could have hit her head or could have gotten in a fight or suffered any trauma what so ever? Not that anyone would have a doubt about her recent activities or anything, but having three teenage daughters of my own, (who are in college, high school and jr. high and honors students and really, pretty good kids) I ALWAYS question what in the beginning doesn't seem to make sense.
Please keep me posted on your cousin's progress. This must be a difficult time for your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[dianna]

Being hit in the head were one of the first things we thought of but they did a brain scan and there was no trauma. We had even wondered if someone could have slipped a drug in something she may have been drinking but they did a toxology test and drug test and those came out negative. She has had some "fits" also. Did you ever have any of this? Last week she had her first one and she sucker punched her sister and I was told that it took 8 nurses and 2 security guards to get her calmed down. She had another one Friday night but not near as bad. I am wondering if she is getting a reaction to the combination of whatever drugs they are giving her. Thank you for your prayers. I will keep you posted on her condition.

[Mary K.]

We haven't experienced any "fits", although I'm always suspicious of drugs and combinations of drugs, particularly when they aren't quite sure what causes a problem or what to do about it. It's always in the back of my mind that three people could have three different theories. That's why they call it 'practicing medicine'. Best wishes to you and your family.

[Mary K.]

Hi Dianna~
How is your cousin doing?

[dianna]

Hi Mary. She is doing pretty good. She takes three steps forward and one step back. She is still in the hospital and is doing therapy. I guess a couple of weeks ago her sister took her out to eat and when they came back a nurse told her that she would need to do something and she told the nurse she would in a little bit. She's not been talking so this was a surprise and she told her mom that she loved her. They do know that it is a viral infection but they still don't know from what. We are still praying and hoping for a full recovery. I will keep you posted. Thanks for checking in with me.
Dianna