Mum raises PIMS awareness as daughter very ill after Covid

Laila Gosney, from Great Sankey, tested positive for Covid-19 in January, but her condition deteriorated once she got the all clear for the virus after daily testing.

The eight-year-old was eventually diagnosed with paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS), following two misdiagnoses, and spent time in Warrington Hospital.

Thankfully, she is now slowly starting to recover, but her mum Yvonne is hoping to highlight the severity of the syndrome so people know what it look out for.

“Laila tested positive for Covid on January 16. We have no idea where she got it from as she was the first in our household to test positive,” Yvonne said.

“She had a temperature and felt a little unwell for two days but nothing major, and she tested positive on lateral flow tests for eight days before being allowed out of isolation.

“But on February 6, she started with a headache and complained of feeling weak and tired, then her temperature rose to 40.2C.

“She continued to deteriorate, developing a rash and a large swollen lymph node in her neck, as well as vomiting over the next two days.”

Laila was taken to A&E at Warrington Hospital on February 8 on the advice of her GP, and the hospital doctor advised that she had a viral infection and possible an ear infection.

She was prescribed antibiotics and sent home, but she continued to deteriorate again over the next two days.

She visited her GP again and was seen by a nurse practitioner, who said she had glandular fever and scarlet fever together and prescribed a different antibiotic.

“The nurse practitioner then called us the following day to see how she was, and at that point her temperature had reduced for a few hours, so it seemed she was slightly improving,” Yvonne continued.

“However, she rapidly deteriorated again over the next two days – her eyes went bloodshot, her hands were swollen and her rash got worse.

“By February 14, I rang 111 having felt like I was not being listened too, and I got an appointment at Widnes Urgent Care Centre.

Laila was admitted to Warrington Hospital after her condition deteriorated

“As soon as we got there, the nurse called Warrington Hospital’s children’s ward and had her admitted as soon as possible due to the condition.”

Once admitted to hospital that evening, Laila was treated rapidly in high dependency through IV drips of steroids and antibiotics, as well as having heart scans and ultrasounds.

She was diagnosed with PIMS, which is a new condition that can occur two to four weeks after someone has had Covid.

It causes inflammation throughout the body, which is one way your immune system fights off infection, injury and disease.

The immune system goes into overdrive and starts to attack the body, which can affect the blood vessels around the heart.

“After a five-day stay, Laila was discharged on continued medication and has been very lucky,” her mum added.

“She is doing much better now than she was and she is back at school almost full-time. She has had a follow-up heart scan and still has some fluid around her heart, which doctors say is no worry and will go.

“She is very lethargic, weak and achy, and she can get agitated at times due to the medication. Doctors have said that she should make a full recovery, but it will take time.

“We feel really disappointed as she was really poorly for eight days before being admitted, and I felt she could have been treated much sooner if her condition had been picked up earlier.

“Thank goodness for the nurse in Widnes Urgent Care Centre who recognised the symptoms.

“I want to raise awareness of PIMS as it is a fairly new but awful condition, and if we can help one other child by earlier diagnosis, doing so will be worth it.”

The main symptom of PIMS is a high temperature that lasts for a few days, while other symptoms can include a rash, tiredness and weakness, tummy pain or cramps, red and cracked lips, swollen hands and feet, and peeling skin on your hands and feet.

As well as this, patients can develop a headache, red eyes, muscle aches and pains, diarrhoea and vomiting, swollen neck glands or unexplained irritability.

If you or someone you know develops any of these symptoms after coronavirus, contact your GP with your concerns.