Mrs Hinch shares ‘nightmare’ as son Ron, 3, is diagnosed with life-threatening Kawasaki disease & hospitalised
MRS Hinch has opened up about the nightmare she and her family have faced after revealing her son Ron, 3, was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease.
The cleanfluencer, whose real name is Sophie Hinchliffe, shared the news on her Instagram account, before going into further detail about the terrifying experience.
Alongside a photo of her little boy in hospital, the 33-year-old explained he had been there for 10 days after being diagnosed with the rare, but in some cases fatal, disease.
She wrote in an emotional caption about his health battle: “‘We can go home now Mummy.’ Ron, you are SO brave, SO strong, SO loved and just beautifully unique darling boy.
“We have spent the past 10 days living whats felt like a real life nightmare.
“But I just wanted to thank you all for so many kind messages and update you all.”
She then continued: “Ron’s temp spiked 40 at home, I phoned an ambulance. Ron was admitted and IV antibiotics started but NOTHING was working, in fact Ronnie deteriorated.
“The incredible doctors and nurses started every blood test and scan you can imagine. We paced rooms and corridors for days just waiting for an answer, a result … anything!
“Seeing Ron this way kicked me with a fear and desperation I’ve never elt in my whole life. What is happening to our son! Please tell me!”
But the ordeal for Mrs Hinch and her partner Jamie didn’t stop there.
Mrs Hinch went on to say: “After a couple of days, more symptoms appeared and results returned. Ron was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, something I had never heard of before.
“Kawasaki disease is a rare, non contagious disease that only affects around eight in every 100,000 children under the age of five in the UK.
“This disease causes swelling of the blood vessels throughout the body. It can also affect the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle when not treated early enough.”
The mum-of-two said that the main symptoms to be aware of are “a persistent high temperature, body rash, swelling and then peeling of the hands and feet, red blistered lips, bloodshot eyes, strawberry tongue, inflamed sore throat and Swollen lymph glands.”
Speaking more about the situation, she added: “This past week has shaken our whole world as a family. I’ve never felt a fear like it.”
However, she then gave a special shout out to hospital staff who had cared for her son and treated him until it was safe for him to come home.
This past week has shaken our whole world as a family – I’ve never felt a fear like it
Mrs Hinch
She concluded: “I need to say THANKYOU to the incredible team at Broomfield hospital, St Marys and Great Ormond street.
“Thank you for answering our prayers and making our Ronnie better, His little smile says it all so thank you.
“Please if anyone reading this is a parent/carer of a child with Kawasaki disease Jamie and I would be so so grateful to hear from you and your story.
“I will do all that I can to help raise awareness of this disease that to this day still has no explained cause.
“OUR VERY SPECIAL RONNIE ROO IS COMING HOME and we are back together as a family at last.”
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What is Kawasaki disease?
According to the NHS, Kawasaki disease is a rare condition that mainly affects children under the age of five.
The condition, which is also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, usually lasts for 5 days or longer, and has the following symptoms:
- a rash
- swollen glands in the neck
- dry, red cracked lips
- a swollen, bumpy, red tongue (“strawberry tongue”)
- red inside the mouth and at the back of the throat
- swollen and red hands and feet
- red eyes
The NHS guidelines state to “see a GP urgently, or call 111 if you can’t speak to a GP, if your child has a persistent high temperature and 1 or more symptoms of Kawasaki disease.”
They also stress that if your baby is less than 1 year old, it’s even more important to see a GP or call 111 straight away.
While most go on to make a full recovery, if untreated, around 2-3 per cent of cases can lead to complications which can be fatal.