After Boy Becomes Paralyzed, Mom Finds Bug Bite That Caused It And Is Now Warning Others What To Look For

Feb 22, 2019

A freak tick bite led to the temporary paralysis of a little boy and his parents want to warn everyone of the danger.

Ticks are extremely tiny arachnids that measure only three to five millimeters long. Because they are external parasites, they survive by feeding off of the blood of other mammals, including humans. 

One day, a woman named Stephanie woke to a terrible sight. She immediately knew that something seemed off when her normally energetic boy, Collin, was not up and moving like his usual energetic self. The alarmed mother called her husband, Dillon.

The parents at first thought that Collin had suffered temporary paralysis as a result of a possible concussion after he hit his head at his brother's baseball game. Rather than try to figure out the cause themselves, the wise parents took Collin to the emergency room for treatment. 

Collin's condition continued to worsen to the point where all he could do was breathe. He was even having a hard time doing simple tasks such as eating as drinking.

As the doctors raced to run tests to determine what was causing the paralysis, Collin's oxygen levels began to drop, necessitating a trip to a bigger hospital that was more equipped to deal with the escalating situation.

It is a good thing that Collin's parents acted when they did. The doctors told them that if they waited even 30 more minutes, Collin might have gone into cardiac arrest. Fortunately for Collin, doctors soon discovered a tick behind Collin's ear. Once they removed this parasite, it did not take long for Collin to be back to his normal self.

According to Dr. Travis Stork, although tick bites on their own are common, it is very unusual to develop paralysis as a result. This terrifying story should serve as a reminder to parents to continue to remain vigilant in checking for ticks after spending time in wooded areas.

This story needs to be spread so that all parents understand the importance of remaining vigilant about tick bites. Please do your part by spreading this reminder to everyone that you know.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!