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A teenager from North Carolina is showing progress after fighting COVID-19 for nearly 10 days, his family said.Kaden Panico, 17, of Winston-Salem, was admitted to the ICU at Brenner Children's Hospital Wednesday. He was dehydrated and there was damage to his heart and kidneys upon his admission to the hospital. Thursday marked his eighth day of fighting the virus.Kaden Panico's mother, Lana Panico, said Thursday he was able to "finally speak a full sentence," after his body became weak and tired days prior. Kaden was diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). According to the CDC, MIS-C is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs. Many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19 or had been around someone with COVID-19."A lot of his organs are inflamed and working so very hard," Lana Panico said. "We are working hard to find the right combination of (medications) to help stabilize his heart so he can breathe at a safe pace again."Lana Panico said she is worried about the lasting impacts on Kaden's heart."No one really knows too much right now," said Lana Panico.Related video below: COVID-19 complications take Iowan teen from healthy to hospitalizedKaden Panico's grandmother, Gerotha Burney, said the family wants to make sure that other teenagers know "this virus is real.""So many of the teenagers think it can't happen to them," said Burney. "They just think they're not old enough for it. A teenager can get it just as easy as adults."Kaden Panico is on the swim team and soccer team at Atkins High School. His future in sports is uncertain, his mother said."I dread the news that sports are finished for a while," Lana Panico said. "The likelihood of him playing is slim." Burney said this is bothersome because "the family has no idea how he got it.""The boy has worn a mask everywhere he went. He is not one to go out often. Even under these conditions, he still got it," Burney said. Burney added that he goes to swim practice in the morning and goes to soccer practice in the afternoon."He practiced Monday and Tuesday and he came down with it on Thursday," Burney said. "One would think his body is strong enough to fight these germs off because of his working out all of the time. Obviously, it's not."Burney added a plea to others in the community, especially children and teenagers, to take the virus seriously."Please, please be careful. Age and your good health mean nothing when COVID-19 strikes," Burney said. "Say a prayer for his recovery."
A teenager from North Carolina is showing progress after fighting COVID-19 for nearly 10 days, his family said.
Kaden Panico, 17, of Winston-Salem, was admitted to the ICU at Brenner Children's Hospital Wednesday. He was dehydrated and there was damage to his heart and kidneys upon his admission to the hospital.
Thursday marked his eighth day of fighting the virus.
Kaden Panico's mother, Lana Panico, said Thursday he was able to "finally speak a full sentence," after his body became weak and tired days prior.
Kaden was diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). According to the CDC, MIS-C is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs. Many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19 or had been around someone with COVID-19.
"A lot of his organs are inflamed and working so very hard," Lana Panico said. "We are working hard to find the right combination of (medications) to help stabilize his heart so he can breathe at a safe pace again."
Lana Panico said she is worried about the lasting impacts on Kaden's heart.
"No one really knows too much right now," said Lana Panico.
Related video below: COVID-19 complications take Iowan teen from healthy to hospitalized
Kaden Panico's grandmother, Gerotha Burney, said the family wants to make sure that other teenagers know "this virus is real."
"So many of the teenagers think it can't happen to them," said Burney. "They just think they're not old enough for it. A teenager can get it just as easy as adults."
Kaden Panico is on the swim team and soccer team at Atkins High School. His future in sports is uncertain, his mother said.
"I dread the news that sports are finished for a while," Lana Panico said. "The likelihood of him playing is slim."
Burney said this is bothersome because "the family has no idea how he got it."
"The boy has worn a mask everywhere he went. He is not one to go out often. Even under these conditions, he still got it," Burney said.
Burney added that he goes to swim practice in the morning and goes to soccer practice in the afternoon.
"He practiced Monday and Tuesday and he came down with it on Thursday," Burney said. "One would think his body is strong enough to fight these germs off because of his working out all of the time. Obviously, it's not."
Burney added a plea to others in the community, especially children and teenagers, to take the virus seriously.
"Please, please be careful. Age and your good health mean nothing when COVID-19 strikes," Burney said. "Say a prayer for his recovery."
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