Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
City Officials Respond To Reports Of Infant Botulism
By Kelly Garrison
Features Editor
City officials have confirmed a case of a rare but serious bacterial infection in at least one infant from Long Beach.
Mother Stephanie Ehren said her 3-month-old, Jeremiah Graham, is undergoing medical treatment for infant botulism. County officials could not be reached to confirm other cases of the infection, but city staff is aware of one other report of a child who allegedly contracted the infant botulism within the same two-week period.
“It did raise a concern,” said Helene Calvet, health officer for the Department of Health and Human Services. “State officials say they’ve seen things like this before, and sometimes they never find a common source.”
The city has responded by distributing an alert to physicians who treat infants about the two reported cases as well as the signs and symptoms of infant botulism. Ehren’s sister, Jennifer, explained that Jeremiah saw several medical experts before getting the correct diagnosis.
“They told us, ‘Sometimes, they just won’t eat,’” she explained. “They did blood tests, but it doesn’t show up in blood tests. He couldn’t swallow. He looked sick and limp. Then it went into his lungs, and he started wheezing.”
While Jeremiah has begun to recover with hospital treatment, Ehren said that greater awareness about the condition could have prevented the infection from progressing as much as it did.
“As a parent, I didn’t know anything about it,” she said, adding that parents can benefit from learning to recognize the symptoms of infant botulism.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information states that the bacterial toxin causes muscle paralysis in infants, causing them to suffer from lethargy, poor feeding, constipation and a weak cry. The bacteria can be spread through certain foods, such as honey, as well as dust particles.
Both infants who contracted the infection reportedly were attending a similar class at Whaley Park. City officials, however, said a health investigation revealed no traces of the bacteria at the site.
Mother Stephanie Ehren said her 3-month-old, Jeremiah Graham, is undergoing medical treatment for infant botulism. County officials could not be reached to confirm other cases of the infection, but city staff is aware of one other report of a child who allegedly contracted the infant botulism within the same two-week period.
“It did raise a concern,” said Helene Calvet, health officer for the Department of Health and Human Services. “State officials say they’ve seen things like this before, and sometimes they never find a common source.”
The city has responded by distributing an alert to physicians who treat infants about the two reported cases as well as the signs and symptoms of infant botulism. Ehren’s sister, Jennifer, explained that Jeremiah saw several medical experts before getting the correct diagnosis.
“They told us, ‘Sometimes, they just won’t eat,’” she explained. “They did blood tests, but it doesn’t show up in blood tests. He couldn’t swallow. He looked sick and limp. Then it went into his lungs, and he started wheezing.”
While Jeremiah has begun to recover with hospital treatment, Ehren said that greater awareness about the condition could have prevented the infection from progressing as much as it did.
“As a parent, I didn’t know anything about it,” she said, adding that parents can benefit from learning to recognize the symptoms of infant botulism.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information states that the bacterial toxin causes muscle paralysis in infants, causing them to suffer from lethargy, poor feeding, constipation and a weak cry. The bacteria can be spread through certain foods, such as honey, as well as dust particles.
Both infants who contracted the infection reportedly were attending a similar class at Whaley Park. City officials, however, said a health investigation revealed no traces of the bacteria at the site.
 |
 |
|
| Parents Get Help At Resource Fair | Area Basket Drive Still Needs Donations |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
