⚠ COVID-19 INFORMATION: Vaccine Information, Other Resources 

Jonah’s Story – Raising Awareness for Infantile Spasms

Jed and Erica’s son Jonah sustained a serious brain injury at birth. When he was 3-months old, Jonah’s EEG, a test of electrical activity in the brain, showed abnormalities that put him at risk for seizures. “Our doctor explained that normal protocol is for a child to receive another EEG at 9- or 12-months old and simply watch for seizures in the meantime,” Jed remembers. “But he also told us about a study at Lurie Children’s designed to see whether more frequent EEGs could detect problems earlier and lead to better outcomes. We decided to enroll Jonah.”

Jonah’s 6-month EEG soon showed that he was at high risk for developing a devastating form of childhood epilepsy known as Infantile Spasms (IS) or West Syndrome. IS is an extremely rare disease that causes serious brain damage in babies. Its exact causes are not well understood. But early detection is critical: the longer spasms go uncontrolled, the harder they are to stop and the more irreversible brain damage they cause.

For the next few weeks, Jonah’s doctors monitored him closely. He was eventually diagnosed with IS on the basis of an “electrical” seizure on his EEG and was quickly given an aggressive dose of frontline medication. Since then, Jonah’s EEGs have shown remarkable improvement. There is still a risk that the seizures will return, so his parents and physicians continue to monitor him closely for relapse. Nevertheless, Erica says, “Jonah amazes us every day. Jonah’s middle name is ‘Chaim,’” she adds, “which means ‘life’ in Hebrew. True to form, and despite so many obstacles, he has thrived. He’s walking (almost running!), loves daycare, and has endless curiosity. Most importantly, he’s a happy kid.”

Jonah’s parents are enormously grateful for the care Jonah has received at Lurie Children’s. Their experience, they say, has convinced them “that early monitoring and treatment should be the standard of care for all at-risk children,” even as “more research is needed so that babies like Jonah get the absolute best chance they can at beating IS.”

 

Sign up for our Newsletter

Get health tips from our pediatric experts, news about ground-breaking research, and feel-good moments delivered right to your inbox.

Subscribe Now
Categories
Patient Stories


Related Posts

Luna’s Story: Beating Brain Cancer with a Little Bit of Paint and Positivity

After experiencing troubling and abnormal symptoms, Luna was rushed to her local hospital where a large mass was discovered on the left side of her brain. 

Read More

Haytham Doing Better Than Ever Following Liver Transplant From Altruistic Donor

Two-year-old Haytham had already overcome many challenges in his young life and needed a liver transplant. One altruistic stranger was a match.

Read More

Ella’s Story: Saved by Bone Marrow Transplant from a Generous Stranger

Ella experienced repeat ear infections and seemed lethargic to her parents. When she began looking pale, her mom took her to their pediatrician. 

Read More