BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A Bakersfield mother shares her daughter's difficult journey in recovering from COVID-19. She even had her appendix removed before doctors realized it was something completely different.
Magen Zimmerman says her nine-year-old daughter, Londyn, is just a ball of energy who loves running and playing soccer.
She contracted COVID-19 in August, but like most kids, she wasn’t affected by it.
At least, that’s what they thought until a couple of weeks later. She began developing high fevers and stomach pain.
That was after her daughter had spent days with a 104-degree fever. Doctors had initially thought it was her appendix, but her fever persisted after surgery to remove it.
After several studies were done, doctors concluded she had MIS-C or Multi-Inflammatory Syndrome, affecting her heart.
“As a mom, it is a hard thing to swallow and decide what is right because if it had been an appendix and they hadn't removed it, then it is like what do you do you know, what is the right choice,” said Magen.
Dr. Patel, a pediatric rheumatologist at Valley Children's Healthcare, says MIS-C started almost two years ago as a body response to COVID in people under 21.
She says the immune system is impressive, but it can also be robust.
“It can create lots of inflammation to protect you. So, for some of these children, the immune system has gone a little into overdrive and is now not necessarily calming down, and these patients then present with these symptoms and are quite ill,” said Dr. Patel.
Although symptoms could vary by case, she recommends parents and teachers to look out for signs like stomach pain, dizziness, vomit, skin rash, and bloodshot eyes and seek hospital care as soon as possible.
As for Londyn, Magen says although it has been a long journey that will continue with more follow-up care, she is just happy to have her daughter back home.
“It was hard, you know, and to finally be able to come home and bring her home and know that means she is getting better to be able to go home. That was the best part,” said Magen.
Magen says she appreciates all the doctors' work and is just happy to see her daughter finally sleep in her bed rather than a hospital cot.
Vania Patino and Muska Olumi at KERO initially reported this story.
