NEDERLAND, Texas — Members of the Nederland community gathered to support a 12-year-old boy who is currently recovering after battling a rare coronavirus-related disease.
Dre Lowe was diagnosed with MIS-C earlier this year and fought for his life at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston for two weeks. At one point, Lowe was in a coma.
Lowe was released from Texas Children's on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. On Saturday, Lowe’s family and friends gathered to support him in his recovery process.
Those in attendance said Lowe seemed to have fun and even met a boy named Jayden, who was also diagnosed with MIS-C this year. Lowe’s mom, Missy Lowe, said they have been through a great deal recently, but she appreciated all the love.
“Everybody, I'm sorry, has come together,” Missy Lowe, said. “People that you wouldn't think would come together. This town has come together for us, and I'm so thankful. I'm just so thankful for it.”
Lowe’s story has reached other families sorting through the same symptoms after their children were diagnosed with COVID-19.
Related: Nederland boy returns home after spending 2 weeks in hospital with rare COVID-related illness
Lowe is one of the two Southeast Texas boys who battled the disease.
Missy Lowe said before her son's diagnosis he complained about aches and pains. When she noticed his face turning blue, she rushed him to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
Lowe, who is fully vaccinated, was tested for COVID-19 at St. Elizabeth but all of those tests came back negative. Doctors did not know what was wrong with him, and he was eventually transferred to Texas Children's Hospital.
"Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children" is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs according to the CDC.
The CDC says you should contact your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic right away if your child is showing symptoms of MIS-C:
- Ongoing fever PLUS more than one of the following:
- Stomach pain
- Bloodshot eyes
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness or lightheadedness (signs of low blood pressure)
- Skin rash
- Vomiting
Be aware that not all children will have all the same symptoms.
The CDC also says that if someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone