Trumann boy hospitalized after COVID complications

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - In early February, Courtney McWayne noticed that her energetic four-year-old soon was fatigued all the time and would only get up to eat. That was when she knew something was wrong.

Her son, Mackie, said he did not feel right and started contracting fevers and had a rash on his face. When Courtney took him to a local urgent care, they said there was really nothing wrong.

“After the doctor prescribed some over-the-counter medicine, he still just was not feeling better,” said McWayne. “We just waited and waited, and nothing happened.”

Days after Mackie’s fever would not break, Courtney decided to take him to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

“In the emergency room, the doctors were saying that his heart was only functioning at around 50 percent,” said McWayne. “They said his lungs were filled with fluid and I was scared because I did not know what was wrong.”

Doctors then asked if Mackie had been exposed to COVID recently. They ran tests and found out that he had antibodies, showing that he had the virus weeks earlier.

That made it pretty clear to doctors that he was suffering from Multisystem inflammatory Syndrome in children, a rare result of a child having COVID.

“I knew kids could get sick from it,” said McWayne. “I didn’t know a month later I needed to be concerned we had COVID a month ago.”

Fortunately, the disease was found early, and Mackie was treated with different steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. For him, the worst part was all the tests.

“I hated all the poking,” said Mackie. “There were so many people poking things in me, and it really hurt.”

After 10 straight days in the hospital, Mackie was allowed to go home. Since then, he has had more energy and seems to be himself again.

Courtney said it’s important to know what could happen because she did not. She says look out for a fever last more than three or four days, feeling unusually weak or dizzy, red eyes, rashes, and showing signs of fatigue or confusion.

“I just think it’s really important that other parents know what to look for because I didn’t know,” said McWayne.

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