Boy, 3, nearly dies after '500,000-to-one' allergic reaction

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

George Williams, pictured with his mother Debbie after making a recovery, was struck down with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome three weeks ago


A boy of three's skin was left ‘burning’ after a near fatal reaction to just half a teaspoon of a children's painkiller.

George Williams was left fighting for his life after a reaction to Nurofen - a commonly used over-the counter medicine - triggered a condition that caused him to be covered in huge blisters which split open.

George was struck down with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis syndrome - which affects just one in half a million people, three weeks ago.

The condition, usually triggered by an allergic reaction, causes the sufferer’s skin to blister and burn, starting from the inside out.

His skin was so raw that his mother Debbie, 26, was not even able to cuddle him.
But George has made an incredible recovery - and only a month after he was taken into intensive care, has been able to return to nursery.


George's eyes swelled and his skin blistered after suffering from a one in 500,000 reaction to a children's medicine


Debbie, from Scunthorpe, said: 'Within a few hours of George taking the painkiller, his eyes had swollen up and started to close.

'I phoned an ambulance straight away, and he was taken to intensive care. His skin started to go red and open up - it was terrifying.

'Within a day, he looked like he’d fallen in a bonfire. His body was covered in huge blisters, his skin had split open and doctors were worried that his open wounds would get infected.

'He was in so much pain and couldn’t see because his eyes were so swollen. All I wanted to do was cuddle him, but I wasn’t allowed to touch him. It broke my heart.

'We’ve been told that he may not be able to cry properly in the future because of damage to his eyes - but that’s a small price to pay for having him alive.'



Michael Cork, professor of dermatology and a consultant at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, said: 'TENS is a very serious dermatological condition caused by an allergic reaction, which is extremely rare and only affects around one in half-a-million.

'We are pleased that, with the expertise of the team, George has made an excellent recovery and we wish him well.'

Dr Aomesh Bhatt, UK medical director of Nurofen for Children medicine said: 'We are very sorry to hear about this case and will investigate fully.

'Children's ibuprofen has a very well established safety record and allergic reactions to ibuprofen are extremely rare.'


source: dailymail