Latest news with #OSFHealthcare
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Illinois boy, 6, left paralyzed after terrifyingly common infection caused deadly blood clot
A family is sharing their son's terrifying health scare in a bid to warn others about the importance of getting vaccinated against one of the world's most common illnesses. Preston Patton, then aged six, from Illinois, was at his kitchen table at home when suddenly he fell off his chair and went completely limp. The youngster's father, Shawn, said he was terrified as he saw his lifeless body on the floor and he immediately called 911. Preston was rushed to hospital where scans revealed something unexpected: a blood clot in his brain. This blockage had caused him to suffer a stroke. Before he collapsed at home, Preston had been suffering from cold-like symptoms and had been diagnosed with the flu. In very rare instances, the flu can cause people to suffer a stroke due to various factors including changes in blood pressure and the way the blood clots. The clot in Preston's brain had caused complete paralysis on the left side of his body, which also affected his vision. Doctors feared his paralysis might be permanent but thanks to a first-of-its-kind surgery, they were able to reverse the damage which they deemed 'truly magical'. Commenting on his condition when he arrived at hospital, Dr Sourabh Lahoti at OSF Healthcare said: 'He had complete paralysis on the left side of his body. 'No movement was possible, and the vision in his left visual field was lost. He could not move his eyes to the left, either. 'He had the tell-tale signs of a stroke affecting the right side of his brain.' Doctors at OSF HealthCare moved quickly to remove the clot - performing a procedure known as a thrombectomy. 'We had to take that clot out. If we hadn't, then chances are he would have gone on to develop a very big stroke. 'This would have not only left him paralyzed potentially for the rest of his life, but it could have been life threatening and taken his life,' Dr. Lahoti says. While thrombectomies are more common in adult stroke patients, they remain exceedingly rare in children. Preston was one of the first children in the world to have the procedure done. 'By the time we went on to do this procedure of clot removal, which is called thrombectomy, that clot had further traveled down to a smaller blood vessel,' says Dr. Lahoti. 'The further out the clot is, the higher the risk it is to get it out. Because we're getting into very tiny blood vessels in the brain. We decided to take that risk and prevent a lifelong disability.' Soon after Dr Lahoti and his team removed the clot, they saw a complete reversal of Preston's paralysis. Dr Lahoti added: 'To have him come in with complete paralysis, and then we did this procedure under anesthesia. After the anesthesia was taken off, he woke up and was able to move his left arm and leg again.' Prior to this type of intervention, patients — especially children — had few choices and they would often be left with paralysis for life. The signs of Preston's illness began about a month before the stroke. He had a bladder infection that turned into a kidney infection, requiring hospitalization just days before Christmas Eve in 2023. He was then discharged only to return under emergency conditions. At the time of the stroke, his heart function had dropped to just 10 percent, his dad says. His doctors believe a rare complication led to his condition. 'In his case, he had gotten the flu. Because of the flu, there was a cross-reaction of the immunity his body built up for the flu,' Dr. Lahoti explains. 'His immune system attacked the flu virus, but also his kidneys and heart, too. Because of that, his heart pumping got really weak, and we think that led to the formation of a clot in his heart. The clot then traveled from the heart to his brain.' It is not clear if Preston had had the flu vaccination but rates across the country have plummeted in recent years. For children in the US, rates dipped from about 64 percent five years ago to 49 percent this past season. While flu vaccinations may not prevent people from coming down with symptoms, research shows they are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths. The past season was not only hard on children. CDC officials described it as 'highly severe,' and estimated that there were at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 27,000 deaths. Children, especially those under five, are particularly vulnerable to the flu due to their developing immune systems, smaller respiratory passages, and increased susceptibility to complications. In a typical flu season, an estimated 20,000 children under five are hospitalized with flu complications, with up to 200 passing away. Preston's father adds that his late wife — the children's mother — tragically passed away from a pulmonary embolism, making the emergency even more challenging emotionally. Preston spent a couple of weeks in the hospital, but today, he is thriving and he's back in school. He's practicing running and riding his bike and is even thinking about his future. 'He goes to OT (occupational therapy) once a week, PT (physical therapy) once a month now. He's getting along pretty good,' Shawn says. Preston also received Botox in his left arm to help regain movement, and while he didn't play baseball this year, his progress continues.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OSF Healthcare offers up new opportunities for nursing students
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals and healthcare systems struggled due to a surge of patients and a shortage of nurses. OSF Healthcare is aiming to help bolster their ranks with their College of Nursing in Peoria. Austin Blair, the school's dean of admissions and marketing, visited WMBD This Morning to talk about the college. He said they've been making major strides in recent years. 'This fall, we're projected to be over 700 students, which is our largest enrollment,' he said. The college is also introducing a new program to help licensed practical nurses become a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Blair explained this will help open more opportunities for professionals. 'We offer a transitional course as well with that,' he said. 'So they get some of their current experience utilized to be able to go back to school and jump right in to our BSN curriculum. OSF Healthcare is also working to build relationships with central Illinois high schools. According to Blair, any high school senior can reserve a spot at the college for up to two years. And with dual credit opportunities, students can graduate with a their BSN in less than four years. Blair also said they offer many resources for scholarships and student aid. Any OSF employee can get their entire tuition covered. 'We offer a lot of endowed scholarships, we offer a lot of tuition assistance, as well as opportunities to work within the college,' he said. For more details on the College of Nursing, you can visit their website at Love WMBD This Morning? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our Daily Newsletter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Expert tips for supporting young adults' mental health
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — While a lot of kids and teens are looking forward to summer vacation, many are also dealing with stress. Dr. Brian Curtis from OSF Healthcare stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk about some of these challenges. He explains that, for many young adults, the start of summer can also mark a transitional point in their lives. Eighth graders are getting ready for high school, high schoolers are getting ready for college, and college students are getting ready to enter the workforce and live independently. And as teens make those transitions, the added stress can lead to mental health challenges. ':About 50% of mental illness before somebody is 17 years old,' he said. 'And then about 60 to 70% of kids will experience some type of mental health [issue] every year.' According to Curtis, parents should look out for sudden behavior changes in their kids. 'Change in personality, change in habits, maybe a change in friend groups,' the doctor said. But Curtis also cautions parents that adolescence inherently comes with a degree of change. He says parents should find a balance that works best for their family and their child. Trillium Place provides diverse therapies for mental health and addiction Curtis also acknowledges it can be difficult for parents and young adults to talk about mental health. 'If you told somebody that they had a broken arm, it'd be okay to have a cast on. But to tell somebody that you're depressed, or you're anxious, or you're really kind of struggling, that's just sometimes not well accepted,' he said. He says parents should try to open a dialogue with their teen to help them express how they're feeling. One way to do this is to have dinner together as a family. 'It's really hard to sit next to somebody for 45 minutes and have dinner, without having some type of conversation,' he said. Above all, Curtis wants parents to let their children know they support them. 'Let them know you love them, and that you can always come home.' Love WMBD This Morning? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our Daily Newsletter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pritzker signs executive order to protect privacy of autistic residents
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Governor JB Pritzker has signed an executive order that will protect the privacy of autistic residents in Illinois. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy floated the idea of creating an autism database. This prompted immediate concern from many people. 'Their information should be theirs to share how they decide it should be shared,' said Holly Swearingian, manager of OSF Healthcare's Autism Pathways. 'So that was very concerning for a lot of our individuals and families is not knowing where their information might be going.' Autism Pathways helps to provide support for people of all ages with an autism diagnosis, or for anyone pursuing a diagnosis. 'With the safeguard in place, we'll continue to educate families on their privacy rights and their rights to their health care information privacy,' said Swearingian. 'But also, the importance of pursuing some of those state-based resources or other local agency resources that exist to support them and to help their loved ones live fulfilling lives in whatever way they can.' US Health department will analyze data from autistic Medicare, Medicaid enrollees, RFK Jr. says In a statement, Pritzker followed up his order with his reasoning: to keep in place the privacy that autistic residents are owed. 'Every Illinoisan deserves dignity, privacy, and the freedom to live without fear of surveillance or discrimination,' Pritzker said. 'As Donald Trump and DOGE threaten these freedoms, we are taking steps to ensure that our state remains a leader in protecting the rights of individuals with autism and all people with disabilities.' To learn about how to get involved with Autism Pathways, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Skin cancer month: Prevention and early detection are vital
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — May is skin cancer awareness month due to increased outdoor activities, but skin cancer signs and treatments don't take the other 11 months off. There are five million cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year. Dr. Brian Curtis of OSF Healthcare stopped by WMBD This Morning, with some skin cancer detection and prevention tips. He said for sunscreen 'nothing is waterproof, they'll say water 'resistant' and get something with and SPF of greater than 15, and that has UVA UVB protection.' 'UVA' and 'UVB' refer to different Ultra Violet rays of the sun that both play roles in skin cancer, and SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor–a measure of how much longer, with the lotion, one could endure sun exposure, compared to no sunscreen. Curtis also had some advice about skin cancer detection and treatment. He said, 'it's the most common cancer, in the world, there's over 5 million cases a year, about 10 to 16 thousand people die a year, because of it, but its's 99% preventable if you catch it early.' Dr. Curtis' encourages checking your skin monthly, and 'anything that you're actually concerned about, I would get in and get checked, but definitely, anything that's new, anything with irregular boarders, and anything growing'. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
