When 2-year-old goes into cardiac arrest, parents take life-saving action
It certainly wasn't on the Thomases' radar when their 2-year-old son went into sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night at their Illinois home.
When the child woke up screaming, his parents ran into the room.
"Hearing him scream out was alarming, as he usually slept soundly, and it was a horrible cry," Stephanie Thomas told Fox News Digital.
"When I went into his room, he continued to scream out and then face-plant into his crib."
At first, the Thomases thought their son was just having a night terror, so Stephanie — who is a clinical dietitian at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois — sat next to his crib with her hand on his back, trying to calm him down.
"When he finally settled, I could feel his breathing slowly come to a stop," she recalled. "I picked him up out of his crib and placed him on the floor. With him being unresponsive, I felt for a pulse and started CPR."
"I was petrified and confused about how my seemingly healthy 2-year-old was in this situation."
"I was petrified and confused about how my seemingly healthy 2-year-old was in this situation."
As Stephanie performed CPR, her husband, Kris, called 911.
Emergency responders rushed the boy to OSF HealthCare. After 11 days of testing, he was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a very rare heart condition that can cause sudden cardiac arrest and death.
Though there can be some signs of Brugada syndrome, such as fainting or passing out, the condition is often not discovered until cardiac arrest occurs.
The Thomases' son had a similar incident about a month before the cardiac arrest, which they now believe may have been his first episode.
"He woke up in the middle of the night with a horrible scream, had some gasping and was hard to calm," Stephanie recalled. "It was only a short period, and once he calmed, he seemed 'normal.' We assumed it was a night terror."
As Brugada syndrome is often inherited, the Thomases were both tested for genetic abnormalities, but it was determined that their son's syndrome is a "mosaic defect," which is when there are two or more genetically different sets of cells in the body.
The OSF team implanted the young boy with an EV-ICD (extravascular implantable cardioverter-defibrillator), which is positioned outside the heart's blood vessels. It is designed to detect and correct any abnormal heart rhythms.
This was the first time the device was implanted in a child at such a young age, the hospital noted in a press release.
Since the first episode, the Thomases' son has been hospitalized six more times. Each time an abnormal heart rhythm is detected, the EV-ICD delivers a "life-saving shock" to the boy's heart.
"Our son acts and appears healthy more than 99% of the time, until his heart gets into an arrhythmia that his body and medication cannot manage on their own," Stephanie told Fox News Digital. "In these cases, he receives a shock from his ICD."
The boy has been readmitted to the hospital due to arrhythmias and medication titration seven times since his initial discharge, his mother added.
Sunita Ferns, M.D., a pediatric electrophysiologist at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center who is treating the Thomases' son, noted that her young patient is now "married to cardiology."
"We monitor these devices constantly. If we see any arrhythmia in the background, despite the medication he's on, we can offer him other technologies," Dr. Ferns said in the OSF press release.
"Ablative technologies can help modify the substrate, which is the tissue that's responsible for the bad rhythm."
To help control his arrhythmias, the boy also takes a compounded oral medication every six hours, which he will take for the rest of his life.
The parents said it can be challenging to navigate the episodes with a 2-year-old who can't understand what's happening.
"The hardest part is when he says things like, 'I can't use the elephant blankie because it shocked me,'" Stephanie said. "He makes these associations between being shocked and the objects or places around him."
There are specific triggers for the boy's arrhythmias, the Thomases have learned, such as low-grade fevers and even slight illnesses, like a cold.
"It is vital that we keep him as healthy as we can — which can be challenging with him being an active 2-year-old and having a 4-year-old," Stephanie said.
"We make sure that he stays up to date on his and our whole family's vaccines. We do our best to tightly regulate any temperatures."
"It is vital that we keep him as healthy as we can."
The Thomases now aim to raise awareness of the importance of having CPR training, being alert to warning signs and putting an emergency plan in place.
As a healthcare employee, Stephanie has maintained her Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for over 10 years.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
"I have always said that I work with doctors and nurses, so felt that this was something I would never use — but the doctors and nurses were not in my house the night my son went into cardiac arrest, so it was left to me."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Do Low-Carb Diets Actually Help You Lose Weight? A Dietitian Reveals the Complicated Truth
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If you want to lose weight fast, some experts will recommend cutting down on carbs—or eliminating them completely. 'Carbs have always been on the chopping block,' says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., dietitian and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table. 'But the truth is carbs aren't bad.' And not all carbs are equal. 'There's a big difference between having a slice of whole-grain toast with your eggs in the morning and a croissant with your eggs,' Taub-Dix explains. Unlike protein and fat, carbs are your body's go-to energy source. So if you lead an active lifestyle, you need carbs in your diet. 'Carbs are energy-giving and provide a wealth of vitamins and fiber, which most of us don't [get] enough of,' Taub-Dix says. 'It's time we change the conversation and start associating carbs with positive things.' That said, cutting your carb intake can help you lose weight quickly if you do it right. Here's everything you need to know about low-carb diets for weight loss—including their benefits, downsides, and limitations. We also break down the most popular low-carb diets for weight loss so you can decide which one is right for you. A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates, including those found in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits. There are many different low-carb diets, and each has different restrictions on the amount of carbs you can eat each day. On the keto diet, for instance, only 5% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. This is in stark contrast to what the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend, which is that 45% to 65% of your daily calories should come from carbs. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that's around 225 to 325 grams of carbs each day. 'What the guidelines say is that we should [be] getting around 50% of our calories from carbs,' Taub-Dix says. But that doesn't mean you should overload on them. Portion control plays a huge role in losing and maintaining weight. For example, 2 cups of pasta can easily equate to five pieces of bread, and one 8-ounce New York bagel is comparable to eight pieces of bread. Low-carb diets work best for short-term weight loss because they restrict you from having simple carbohydrates, like sugar, white pasta, and white bread. These empty calories can add up, leading to weight gain over time. Instead, low-carb diets encourage you to eat more protein and fat, which tend to stabilize your blood sugar levels and make you feel fuller longer. By minimizing carbs, low-carb diets can help your body hit ketosis—a state where your body uses fat for fuel. Naturally, you'll lose more weight if you burn more fat. But the problem with low-carb diets is that they can be very restrictive, making them tough to follow long-term. 'If I don't have toast with my breakfast, I'm so going to feel like something is missing in my day,' says Taux-Dix. 'There's an 'ah' factor to eating carbs. It releases serotonin, which makes us feel comforted. It's like getting a hug from your food.' And science agrees: The long-term benefits of low-carb diets for weight loss are debatable. According to a 2023 study, low-carb diets often result in rapid weight loss. But since it's hard to stick to the diet long-term, those benefits level out. At the 1-year mark, low-carb diets aren't obviously better for weight loss than other nutritional approaches. The best approach to losing weight on a low-carb diet is to enjoy carbs in moderation. A 2018 study (updated in 2020) found that people who ate a low to moderate amount of carbs burned more calories than those who ate lots of carbs. The low-carb group also saw significantly lower levels of ghrelin (a hormone that increases appetite) and higher levels of leptin (a hormone that decreases appetite and tells your brain you're full). Some worry that following a low-carb diet can encourage unhealthy eating habits, like filling up on foods high in saturated fat. But researchers have found mixed results. While a 2019 review linked low-carb diets to higher all-cause mortality, a 2017 study found the opposite—linking high-carb diets to higher all-cause mortality. Another concern? Since low-carb diets encourage you to restrict all carbohydrates, you might end up cutting certain vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains from your diet. These can be major sources of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. And missing them may lead to nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and disease. Of course, if your goal is to lose weight, the biggest downside of low-carb diets is that they're hard to follow. While you might rapidly lose weight when you start the diet, you may see those weight loss benefits wane over time—especially if you start eating more carbs. As with anything, the key is balance. Cutting carbs can have downsides—if you don't have a balanced eating plan that includes a variety of foods. The good news? There are plenty of low-carb diets, and not all of them involve counting carbs or dramatically restricting them. Keto Diet: The keto diet—or the ketogenic diet—originally started in the 1920s as a way to help treat epilepsy. But since then, it's become one of the most popular low-carb diets for weight loss. On the keto diet, you limit your carb intake to 5% of your daily calories. This helps your body hit ketosis, prompting your body to use fat for fuel instead of carbs. While the keto diet has helped thousands lose weight, it's highly restrictive, so it can be hard to sustain long-term. Atkins Diet: The Atkins diet is a high-protein, high-fat diet that helps you lose weight by encouraging you to eat meat, dairy, and fats instead of carbs. Atkins has three different plans—Atkins 20, Atkins 40, and Atkins 100—and all three involve keeping your daily carb intake low. During the first phase of the Atkins 20, for example, you only have 20 to 25 grams of net carbs daily. Over time, you gradually increase the number of carbs you're eating. Paleo diet: The Paleo diet is another low-carb eating plan that focuses on eating lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. The Paleo diet is inspired by our Paleolithic ancestors, who ate only foods they hunted or gathered. This means you can eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean protein. But dairy products, grains, beans, legumes, and highly processed foods (like sugar and artificial sweeteners) are off-limits. Whole30: The Whole30 diet is a Paleo-inspired eating plan, where you cut out sugar, alcohol, dairy, grains, gluten, and legumes for 30 days. The goal is to help you combat your sugar addiction, focus on clean eating, and uncover food sensitivities. But many people try Whole30 as a way to detox after the holidays or lose weight before a big event. Because Whole30 promotes home cooking and encourages you to avoid highly processed foods, you might lose a significant amount of weight—depending on what your eating habits were like before. The verdict? Low-carb diets can help you lose weight quickly, but they're tough to follow long-term. And their benefits may only last as long as you stick to the diet. If you want to try a low-carb diet to lose weight, start by talking to a doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you create a plan that aligns with your goals, suits your lifestyle, and offers enough balance to keep you satisfied and ensure you're getting the nutrients you need. 'When it comes to diets, it should be something you could live with forever,' Taub-Dix says. 'A lot of people say they cheated on their diet or fell off the bandwagon, but a diet you can keep for life shouldn't feel like you got off of something.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Gas station heroin': the drug sold as a dietary supplement that's linked to overdoses and deaths
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent warning about tianeptine – a substance marketed as a dietary supplement but known on the street as 'gas station heroin'. Linked to overdoses and deaths, it is being sold in petrol stations, smoke shops and online retailers, despite never being approved for medical use in the US. But what exactly is tianeptine, and why is it causing alarm? Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Tianeptine was developed in France in the 1960s and approved for medical use in the late 1980s as a treatment for depression. Structurally, it resembles tricyclic antidepressants – an older class of antidepressant – but pharmacologically it behaves very differently. Unlike conventional antidepressants, which typically increase serotonin levels, tianeptine appears to act on the brain's glutamate system, which is involved in learning and memory. It is used as a prescription drug in some European, Asian and Latin American countries under brand names like Stablon or Coaxil. But researchers later discovered something unusual, tianeptine also activates the brain's mu-opioid receptors, the same receptors targeted by morphine and heroin – hence it's nickname 'gas station heroin'. At prescribed doses, the effect is subtle, but in large amounts, tianeptine can trigger euphoria, sedation and eventually dependence. People chasing a high might take doses far beyond anything recommended in medical settings. Despite never being approved by the FDA, the drug is sold in the US as a 'wellness' product or nootropic – a substance supposedly used to enhance mood or mental clarity. It's packaged as capsules, powders or liquids, often misleadingly labelled as dietary supplements. This loophole has enabled companies to circumvent regulation. Products like Neptune's Fix have been promoted as safe and legal alternatives to traditional medications, despite lacking any clinical oversight and often containing unlisted or dangerous ingredients. Some samples have even been found to contain synthetic cannabinoids and other drugs. According to US poison control data, calls related to tianeptine exposure rose by over 500% between 2018 and 2023. In 2024 alone, the drug was involved in more than 300 poisoning cases. The FDA's latest advisory included product recalls and import warnings. Users have taken to the social media site Reddit, including a dedicated channel, and other forums to describe their experiences, both the highs and the grim withdrawals. Some report taking hundreds of pills a day. Others struggle to quit, describing cravings and relapses that mirror those seen with classic opioid addiction. Since tianeptine doesn't show up in standard toxicology screenings, health professionals may not recognise it. According to doctors in North America, it could be present in hospital patients without being detected, particularly in cases involving seizures or unusual heart symptoms. People report experiencing withdrawal symptoms that resemble those of opioids, like fentanyl, including anxiety, tremors, insomnia, diarrhoea and muscle pain. Some have been hospitalised due to seizures, loss of consciousness and respiratory depression. In the UK, tianeptine is not licensed for medical use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and it is not classified as a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. That puts it in a legal grey area, not formally approved, but not illegal to possess either. It can be bought online from overseas vendors, and a quick search reveals dozens of sellers offering 'research-grade' powder and capsules. There is little evidence that tianeptine is circulating widely in the UK; to date, just one confirmed sample has been publicly recorded in a national drug testing database. It's not mentioned in recent Home Office or Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs briefings, and it does not appear in official crime or hospital statistics. But that may simply reflect the fact that no one is looking for it. Without testing protocols in place, it could be present, just unrecorded. Because of its chemical structure and unusual effects, if tianeptine did show up in a UK emergency department, it could easily be mistaken for a tricyclic antidepressant overdose, or even dismissed as recreational drug use. This makes it harder to diagnose and treat appropriately. It's possible, particularly among people seeking alternatives to harder-to-access opioids, or those looking for a legal high. With its low visibility, online availability and potential for addiction, tianeptine ticks many of the same boxes that once made drugs like mephedrone or spice popular before they were banned. The UK has seen waves of novel psychoactive substances emerge through similar routes, first appearing online or in head shops, then spreading quietly until authorities responded. If tianeptine follows the same path, by the time it appears on the radar, harm may already be underway. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Michelle Sahai does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer on TG Therapeutics: 'You Should Buy the Stock'
TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX) is one of the 14 stocks Jim Cramer recently looked at. When a caller inquired about the company during the lightning round, Cramer stated: 'I remember when Mike Weiss was an analyst. I always loved the man. I love him now. I think you should buy the stock.' A scientific researcher holding a petri dish containing a glycoengineered monoclonal antibody. TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX) develops and commercializes therapies for B-cell mediated diseases, and it offers BRIUMVI for multiple sclerosis and is advancing a pipeline of monoclonal antibodies and kinase inhibitors targeting autoimmune conditions and blood cancers. ClearBridge Investments stated the following regarding TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX) in its Q4 2024 investor letter: '2024 proved a particularly active year for new idea generation: we added 23 new investments while exiting 29 due to a variety of considerations, including acquisitions, market capitalization constraints, and our assessment of forward return potential. While many of the new investments we made during the year are of relatively modest size, we will continue to build these positions over time provided company execution and end market prospects remain intact. In the fourth quarter we initiated five new investments: Oscar Health,TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX), Clearwater Analytics, Fluor and Modine. While we acknowledge the potential of TGTX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None.
