A sort of Tennessee This teenage girl was recently vaccinated against COVID-19, and after experiencing a rare adverse reaction, she was living in the intensive care unit.
Shelby Grace Allen, 17 years old, is currently receiving treatment at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. MemphisAccording to a local news station, doctors believe that her COVID vaccine caused a rare disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome Reg.
“When we came in, my doctor, my PA immediately told me what she thought. She said you have Gillan Barre,” Allen told WREG.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Describes Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as a disease in which the body’s immune system damages nerves, which can lead to muscle weakness and sometimes even paralysis.
Photo taken by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Most people with GBS fully recover, but some people may experience permanent nerve damage. The cause of GBS is not fully understood, but the syndrome usually occurs after infection with a virus or bacteria.
In the United States, it is estimated that only 3,000 to 6,000 people develop GBS each year. According to the CDC, vaccines can cause GBS in rare cases, but the COVID-19 vaccine as a whole can cause very rare adverse side effects.
Last week, the doctor confirmed the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome to Allen, a family member wrote FacebookAlan noticed backaches and other issues for the first time a few weeks ago. In a recent wedding where she was a bridesmaid, the girl felt tingling in her toes. But during the trip to the bowling alley, she was really shocked.
“I’m on the bowling team in Dell County and I noticed that when I pitched, I couldn’t feel my arms and legs. So, I was terrified,” she told WREG, what made her parents take her last week Went to the hospital.
“its [GBS] Dr. Nick Hysmith, Director of Infection Prevention Medicine at Le Bonheur, told the news station that this is a situation where the body immune syndrome becomes a little messy and targets your nerve cells and leads to weakness.
“Compared with the vaccine itself, this disease causes more symptoms and is more likely to cause the problem. I still urge people to still get vaccinated,” he added.
Allen agrees with Highsmith’s advice on recommending people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think everyone needs to get it if they want,” she said. “They shouldn’t be afraid of it, but know what will happen if you get it.”
Since her diagnosis, Allen’s health has continued to improve and she has been transferred to the intensive care unit.
“I should be able to walk and get a diploma in March. I will graduate from high school. I should be able to walk on that stage, and I am determined to do this,” Allen said. “I am absolutely happy. My situation may be much worse than it is now. I may be dead, or I may be paralyzed.”
