8-19-2021 8:59am

North Texas 4-month-old in ICU battling COVID-19 and RSV simultaneously

John Rivera Editor

By Alex Boyer

DALLAS - In one of the limited pediatric beds in the North Texas region is a 4-month-old Greenville boy.

Hudson Hooten is battling both COVID-19 and RSV, the two viruses that are packing children's hospitals across North Texas. His mom says it all began with a cough. Things quickly got worse.

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The boy is in the ICU at Children's Medical Center Dallas and is breathing with the help of oxygen.

Brooke Hooten, who is a registered medical assistant, says her son started coughing Saturday night. Mom and dad took Hudson to the emergency room on Sunday where they sat for hours.

They decided to leave and took Hudson to see his pediatrician on Monday who tested him.

MORE: Coronavirus coverage

By Wednesday, Hudson was hospitalized with severe symptoms.

"I mean, he was projectile vomiting," Brooke said. "He was coughing. He was crying for like an hour straight."

Hudson was transferred from Medical City Dallas to Children's Medical Center Dallas. Doctors told them he got the last ICU bed.

MORE: No staffed pediatric ICU beds left in North Texas region, hospital official says

"He's doing a lot better," Brooke said. "I feel like he's he doesn't look as sick anymore because he's been on oxygen. They've been giving him fluids."

Dr. Seth Kaplan is a Frisco-based pediatrician not involved in Hudson's care.

"Now, we're at absolute capacity," he said. "We’re primarily filled with kids with various respiratory diseases."

Dr. Kaplan, who is president of the Texas Pediatric Society, says the record number of pediatric hospitalizations in North Texas is very concerning.

"The combination of RSV and COVID together has certainly proven to be very, very challenging, especially that's where we'll see our younger kids who get covid have trouble is when they have both," he said. "And on that note, we're worried about what's coming later in the season when influenza makes its comeback."

Dr. Kaplan is urging parents to take every precaution to help stop the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

"The most important thing for the kids under age 12 is going to be to wear that mask," he said. "If you are eligible to get vaccinated, please get vaccinated.

Brooke and her husband are not currently vaccinated against COVID-19. But she says this scare involving her son might change their mind.

"I've had multiple doctors at Children's tell me like you need to get vaccinated," she said. "And I'm like I get it. I do. But like if it comes down to saving my kid's life, sure. I mean, I'll get vaccinated."

Brooke says no one else in their family has tested positive for COVID-19 so she has no idea where her son got it from. He doesn't go to daycare.

Dr. Kaplan says in addition to getting the COVID vaccine, folks should get their flu vaccine as soon as they can.

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