What Is Necrotic Encephalitis? Toddler's Flu Complication Leads To Rare Brain Disease

A two-year-old girl was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease after complications of the flu, her family said Wednesday. Layla Thomas from St. Louis, Missouri, showed signs of the flu earlier this month and within days her symptoms worsened.

“She had just a runny nose, maybe a little cough but nothing out of the ordinary that we hadn't seen before,” her aunt, Jessica Kile, told local media KMOV-4.

By March 18, the girl was suffering from 107-degree fever and was rushed to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

“They had her hooked up to everything imaginable,” Kile said. “She’s completely unresponsive and is making small eye movements.”

Doctors diagnosed Layla with necrotic encephalitis, a rare complication of the flu that attacked her brain. The toddler is now struggling for life due to the rare disease, which can develop from the Influenza A or B virus.

“Even with appropriate anti-viral treatments some of these severe complications can result in permanent disability or even death,” Rachel Orscheln, a doctor at St. Louis Children’s Hospital who specializes in infectious diseases, told the news station.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the medical expense of the girl. The fundraising page stated that the young girl has undergone “blood transfusions and has been in an induced coma" and has reportedly been given a “50/50 chance of survival.”

“Layla is a fighter and has been showing small signs of improvement every day,” the fundraising page reads, mentioning she still “has a very long road of recovery ahead of her.”

What is necrotic encephalitis?

Also known as acute necrotizing encephalopathy, this disease is characterized by brain damage. Symptoms of infections leading up to the disease include fever, respiratory infection, gastroenteritis, and is followed by seizes, disturbance of consciousness that can progress to a coma, liver problems, and neurologic deficits. Early warning signs include seizures, sleepiness, and loss of appetite.

According to experts, severe complications can result in permanent disability or death despite appropriate antiviral treatments.

As in the case of Layla, this disease caused from the complications of flu, and thus people must take extra care if they contract the contagious respiratory illness. Symptoms of the flu often include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, fatigue, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.