MISSOULA, Mont. (KECI) – Months after hiring COVID-19, a 13-year-old Montana boy is considered a “long hauler,” as he continues to experience symptoms of the disease, including heart problems, muscle weakness and trouble breathing.
It’s been months of agony for 13-year-old Hudson Beard, who hired COVID-19 in November. He has not gone to school since then and continues to experience symptoms, many severe, of the disease.
“It’s hard,” Hudson said. “It’s very difficult when doctors have no answer and they say,‘ Well, over time we’ll see what happens and you may get better. We do not know “.
In December, doctors diagnosed Hudson with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a disorder that raises his heart rate when he stands up. He has vertigo-like vertigo every time he stands up or does basic tasks like reading or watching TV.
Since then, his symptoms have only gotten worse and he has been sent to a Colorado hospital to find new heart problems.
“My coronary arteries are dilated, both,” Hudson said.
“Your heart, we didn’t catch it for two months,” said Lisa Beard, Hudson’s mother. “So now we’re dealing with a coronary problem that we don’t know if it will be solved.”
Hudson also has respiratory problems, continuous migraines, gastrointestinal problems, and problems with the left side of his body, as if he had a stroke.
“He has a lot of muscle weakness and there has been a lot of atrophy all over his left side,” Beard said. “So the rehab is the same as if I had had a stroke.”
Hudson now has a dedicated team of doctors and specialists who support him and his family during their journey, but are still desperate for answers and cures.
“I was wondering why I have all these symptoms and a new one pops up every two weeks, and why no doctor can explain it,” Hudson said.
Hudson has a new pet turtle that helps him pass the time during the days, along with listening to audiobooks. Until more answers arrive, his days will continue to include doctor appointments and tests, while his parents do everything they can to get him on the road to recovery.
“A lot of people don’t really understand how dramatic the effects of COVID are on children,” Beard said. “Many times we want to protect the most vulnerable, the under-1s and the elderly, but Hudson was a prosperous, very active 13-year-old and the rest of my family recovered, and he didn’t.”
Doctors say there is much more cardiac involvement in people who have had COVID-19 than they originally thought. One study used cardiac MRIs in 100 patients who recovered from the virus, showing heart damage in 78 of the patients and inflammation of the myocardium in 60.
If you have had COVID-19 and feel chest pain or palpitations, it is a good idea to call your doctor.
For children who have had COVID-19, even without significant symptoms, doctors recommend doing a screening before re-exercising or playing sports.
Copyright 2021 KECI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.