Common flu turns out to be deadlier than expected

Doctors are not perfect; they’re fallible like the rest of us, that’s why, when in doubt, it’s important to seek a second opinion

Kid’s developing immune systems render them vulnerable to many illnesses. They experience so many illnesses during their childhood that we soon begin thinking not much of them. After all, symptoms of a common cold basically mean just that, right?

But sometimes, symptoms could be a reflection of something else entirely. This is what Georgia mom Holly Pate learned the hard way.

When her son Connor began to complain about fatigue, headaches and vomiting, she thought nothing of it. As it happened, so did the doctors.

As Connor’s health continued to deteriorate, an MRI was ordered by the doctors. What it revealed broke Holly’s heart. Connor had a brain tumor, and required surgery.

“And it was hard. I was upset at first and then I got mad. You don’t want your child to go through that,” she told reporters.

Connor was unkowingly suffering from a brain tumor; Photo courtesy: Facebook

Connor underwent a surgery which was supposed to last 6 hours, but ended up taking 13. He is recovering now, and thankfully the doctors were able to find out what was wrong, but the road to recovery will be tough.

And as for Holly Pate, she wants parents to know this: if your child displays symptoms that may seem minor, such as headaches, vomiting or dizziness you should take it seriously. Ask your doctor if an MRI may be necessary.

More than a flu?

Parents, when was the last time your kids came down with a common illness and you easily dismissed it? The next time it happens, maybe we should pay close attention and monitor whether or not we should be concerned.

The flu is a highly contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system (nose, throat and lungs) and is caused by the influenza virus. Sometimes the flu could lead to bacterial infections such as bronchitis, ear infections, sinus infections and pneumonia.

Common symptoms of flu include:

Fever (feeling feverish/chills)
Cough.
Sore throat.
Runny or stuffy nose.
Muscle or body aches.
Headaches.
Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may have vomiting and diarrhoea, though this is more common in children than adults.

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Written by

James Martinez

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