Family's horror as girl, 8, gets Lyme disease from tick bite Oct 11 2008 by David Powell, Daily Post
Sasha Hughes
A FAMILY have spoken of their horror after their daughter caught a rare and potentially life threatening disease from a tick bite.
It is thought Sasha Hughes, eight, was bitten by a tick in a field of sheep, which infected her with Lyme disease.
Sasha was rushed to Ysbyty Gwynedd after she developed a rash, with symptoms similar to meningitis, she couldn't see and her face became stiff, or ``palsy''.
Her parents spent a frantic week at her bedside in the Bangor hospital, after doctors revealed the disease had spread to a nerve in her brain.
In severe cases Lyme disease can cause heart failure.
Last night Sasha's parents spoke of their relief after she was released home, to Manod near Blaenau Ffestiniog, with no long term damage.
Although she still needs antibiotics, her family say she is back on the road to making a full recovery.
The condition is only spread by ticks and can not be passed from human to human, so Sasha can have visitors and is expecting to go back to classes at Ysgol Tanygrisau soon.
Mum Vicky Hughes, 30, described the family's trauma yesterday. She said: ``I know she had a tick on her belly but we didn't think anything of it. Her father took it off.
``Then one day we went to the Great Orme. Sasha didn't feel well, she was really tired and couldn't concentrate. She wasn't herself.''
The family returned home but Sasha's condition deteriorated.
Her mum said: ``She told me `My eyes aren't working'. She couldn't close her eyes and she was palsy. We were really worried.''
Vicky contacted the NHS Direct helpline and was told to take Sasha straight to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor. Doctors admitted her.
Vicky said: ``They gave her a lumbar puncture in her back and sent a sample to a specialist in agricultural conditions. They suspected Lyme disease.''
Vicky added: ``It affected a nerve in her brain. She was unlucky because the brain is only affected in a small percentage of cases.''
Sasha was discharged but her parents had to take her back to Ysbyty Gwynedd for a week to be given antibiotics by a drip for 30 minutes a day.
She can now take oral antibiotics at home and is recovering well from her ordeal.
Mum said: ``She's a lot better than she was. She still has pains in her joints. But she is naturally quiet.''
Sasha said: ``I'm feeling better.''
Mum Vicky added: ``We are very relieved. I want to say nobody can catch it from Sasha.''
Vicky, who works for a security company, and husband Alan, 44, a builder, have two other daughters Casey, eleven, and Enya, four.
A North West Wales NHS Trust spokesman confirmed: ``We did have a recent case of Lyme disease. It is a rare condition.''
One of the most recent cases of Lyme disease in North Wales was in 2005.
Kate Bloor, 52, from Croesor, went for a walk in the woods around the village but after being bitten by an infected tick under her bosom her world was turned upside down.
She had to have intensive treatment near London for Lyme disease.
The condition is very difficult to diagnose because it doesn't always show up in blood tests, and there's a huge range of symptoms including flu, arthritic joints, extreme fatigue, and blurred vision.
Last year Kate's mum Giovanna, 80, warned: ``The problems really start if it isn't diagnosed early. It was about 10 months before Kate was diagnosed.''
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----------- Caution: some inaccurate information in this article
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
I found out there are Sheep Liver Flukes to beware of also. My cousin in Oregon raises sheep and his health is not very good. I don't know if there is any connection. He also spent years as a Timber faller in the Oregon forests.
There are Rife low frequencies for sheep liver flukes (parasites) The CAFL frequencies are 826, 830 and 834.
[Interesting: Found a type in my GB-4000 book. I'll let the Mfg. know that 30 should be 830. Maybe they already found it by now.]
Posts: 212 | From Arizona | Registered: Jul 2008
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