Jumat, 08 Juni 2012

Boy, 7, suffered stroke brought on by chickenpox he had suffered months earlier

Boy, 7, suffered stroke brought on by chickenpox he had suffered months earlier

  • Virus had caused Alex Roantree-Roesch's arteries to harden
  • He now has splint on leg and has lost dexterity in hand
  • Speech remains slurred and doctors do not know if he will fully recover

By Emma Reynolds

PUBLISHED: 06:44 EST, 8 June 2012 | UPDATED: 06:44 EST, 8 June 2012

A seven-year-old boy collapsed from a stroke brought on by the chickenpox he had nine months earlier.

Alex Roantree-Roesch was found unconscious by his horrified father Mike in the living room of their home in Gosport, Hampshire.

The youngster was taken to hospital and told he had suffered a stroke, and that it had been triggered by the virus, which shrunk his arteries.

Long-term effects: Alex Roantree-Roesch, pictured with mother Angela, has to wear a splint on his leg and has lost some dexterity in his right hand after he keeled over in his living room

Long-term effects: Alex Roantree-Roesch, pictured with mother Angela, has to wear a splint on his leg and has lost some dexterity in his right hand after he keeled over in his living room

IT worker Mr Roantree-Roesch, 40, said: 'My wife was out doing some shopping and I was washing up in the kitchen when I heard a bang from the living room.

'I went in and saw Alex on the floor, his legs had buckled under him and he was like a rag doll.

'I asked him where it hurt but I couldn’t get anything out of him. Then he let out a moan, a horrid sort of wail, and it was like someone flicked a switch and he just turned off.'

Alex now wears a splint on his right leg and has lost some dexterity in his hand. He is having occupational therapy and physiotherapy at a rehabilitation centre and has to iron tablets and aspirin every day.

He said: 'I was watching cartoons on telly and just lost control of my hands.

'I don’t really remember much of it but I know I’m not as well as I was before and I do find some things difficult now.'

Rare complication: Doctors told Alex that his chickenpox had triggered the stroke by causing his arteries to shrink

Rare complication: Doctors told Alex that his chickenpox had triggered the stroke by causing his arteries to shrink

Although rare, strokes have a recognised link to chickenpox. According to the Stroke Association, one child in 25,000 suffers a stroke as a result of the virus because it shrinks the arteries.

Alex's mother Angela, 35, said: 'The doctors said the only thing they could put it down to was the chickenpox, after they had eliminated everything else.

'It was amazing to see him sit up for the first time, but that was a big landmark.

'His speech is still a little bit slurred and he’s not as talkative as he once was, but he is definitely getting better all the time.

'They think he will get most of his function back, but they don’t know if he will get all of it back.'

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@cath uk - don't talk rubbish.

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Beautiful lad - hope all comes good. This is not the place to debate vaccination - jog on nosepokerrinas.

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Chicken pox should be included with the childhood vaccination schedule. There is no need for any child to suffer with it. It is also thought the vaccine will prevent shingles in later life

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Another example of why parents should have the choice to vaccinate their children against chicken pox like they do in the USA and other countries. ( I say choice since any mention of vaccine usually brings out the anti-vaccine brigade!). I struggle to see why we continue to put our children through needless suffering when they can be mostly protected for a small cost.

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Alex, I hope you make a full recovery with time and the Love and support of your Mum and Dad.

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@ - Lee, London England While I agree with you that no-one should ever knowingly send a child with chickenpox or any communicable disease to school, the problem is that it takes 10-20 days roughly to develop chickenpox after exposure to it. The patient becomes infectious and can pass it on 1 or 2 days before any symptoms appear. So, by the time, your child has a rash or is complaining of feeling unwell, they could already have infected everyone they've come in contact with. I'm afraid parents aren't psychic and can't keep children off school on the off chance they may be going to develop something.

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after getting shingles in my ear as a teenager it turned into bells palsy and after 10 years i still cant move one side of my face!! all strains of the chicken pox virus are lethal and i hope you get better soon young man x

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I have no idea why when people contract chicken pox that they do not stay the hell in their houses. I had it, my kids had it, my partner ran a mile, but we all stayed in our homes till it cleared up completely and no longer could be passed on. Chicken pox can be a killer, espeically with pregnant women. My sister even had to stop breast feeding because some irresponsible parent sent their child to school and her child came back with the flamming pox and they all got it too. It goes for all viruses, diseases and infections, if you have one, keep it to yourselves and make the world a better place.

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My Daughter got Bells Palsy as a result of getting chickenpox. Very scary as a parent to see that and her recovery took a couple months. This is awful. Get well soon little fella

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And still there are people who set out to infect their children with chickenpox.

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