Boy in Coma Due to Flu
The Flu Left This 7-Year-Old in a Coma — and Now His Mom Is Warning Parents
If you need any additional convincing that this year's flu is especially dangerous for kids, this heartbreaking story is sure to provide you with ample evidence. A young boy in Waukee, Iowa, was sent into a coma just weeks after contracting Influenza A, and now, he's fighting for his life in the hospital.
It all started when Jaxson Ridout developed a cough, fever, and some body aches, but things progressed when the first-grader's breathing became shallow. His mother brought him to the hospital after noticing his worsening symptoms, and he soon suffered from septic shock, which left him comatose. Jaxson's mom, Melody Ridout, told a Des Moines-based news outlet how her 7-year-old son was born prematurely, which has caused various health issues since birth, and he'd been too sick to get the flu shot this year.
After watching her son's condition diminish from "being OK to on a death bed possibly" in a matter of weeks, Melody is warning other parents to get their little ones vaccinated before it's too late. "I can't stress enough. This is not something that anyone should have to go through with their kids or themselves," she said.
