While the prognosis is much brighter, six-year-old Albert Curtis will need time and therapy to recover from a bout of Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its nerves.
The kindergarten student at Salmon Arm West Elementary was diagnosed after he began becoming increasingly clumsy and falling down. He was taken to the ER in Salmon Arm and, as his condition worsened, was referred to BC Children’s Hospital for diagnosis. The syndrome disrupts the nerve pathways resulting in problems with motor control and, in some cases, paralysis.
After spending nearly two weeks at BC Children’s Hospital, Albert was able to come home to Salmon Arm, but needs continued therapy.
“It’s so much better. After the treatments at Children’s, I was able to see my little boy come back,” says his mother Cheryl, a single parent to Albert and his twin sister Alexandra. “The day he finally walked a step again, I cried. I didn’t know if we were going to see that day because he got so bad, so fast.”
Cheryl says the outcome for children with Guillaine-Barre Syndrome is good.
“But he’s going to need time to get his strength back and we have to come back to Vancouver for check ups.”
A friend started a GoFundMe account for the family, as Cheryl, who has a part-time job, will be unable to work until Albert is more fully recovered. “I’ve had no income since we’ve left and there is a lot of costs. It’s been pretty daunting,” she said.
Anyone who wants to help the family can contribute to the GoFund Me account at https://www.gofundme.com/43pa6ffw.
