- Over-the-counter medicine almost cost Max Brown, 13, his life
- Reaction became so bad he screamed in pain when anyone touched him
- Was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson
Syndrome (SJS) - Condition causes cells embedded in the skin to die before shedding
- Spent more than a month in hospital and his mother, Nicola Wheatley, was warned he may not make it
By
Daily Mail Reporter
17:33 EST, 23 February 2014
|
17:33 EST, 23 February 2014
When 13-year-old Max Brown came down with a cold, his worried mother gave him ibuprofen.
But the over-the-counter medication almost cost him his life after a violent allergic reaction left him covered in severe blisters and his lips turned black.
It became so bad that he screamed in pain when anyone touched him and was left slipping in and out of consciousness as he fought for his life in intensive care.
In bandages: Max Brown, 13, on a ventilator in intensive care after his severe reaction to the over-the-counter medicine
Max was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a condition which causes the cells in the top layer of the skin to die before shedding.
He spent just over a month in hospital in November, during which his devastated mother Nichola Wheatley was warned he could die.
‘The doctors were 100 per cent certain that the ibuprofen caused Max’s reaction,’ she said at her home in Esher, Surrey, yesterday. ‘I didn’t know he was allergic, he had taken ibuprofen before years ago. It was the biggest shock of my life.’
The traumatic events started when Miss Wheatley, a 45-year-old teaching assistant, noticed that Max was not well so kept him off school for a couple of days.
Life-threatening: His mother Nicola Wheatley was told Max could die as a result of his extreme reaction
Thinking he had a cold, she began giving him standard doses of liquid ibuprofen. But within a matter of days his entire body was covered in rashes and blisters. She took him to her GP, who told her to take Max straight to hospital.
He was admitted to hospital but at first doctors were baffled by what was wrong. By this time his skin was blistering and peeling off, while his lips were swollen, black and crusted.
Miss Wheatley said: ‘It is the most horrific thing for a parent to have to see their child suffer the way Max has. I was devastated.
‘My son was so ill and I couldn’t hold him or kiss him. He was screaming because his skin was so raw. I felt helpless. Nobody could tell us what was happening because nobody knew.’
Treatment: He spent a month in hospital after he was diagnosed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
Max was taken to a specialist unit for more tests and was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. After a week in hospital his condition had deteriorated so much that he couldn’t open his eyes because of the scabbing and his whole body was blistered, raw and peeling.
Miss Wheatley said: ‘That was the worst thing for me. I had no idea if he was going to get better or not. I was stuck in limbo watching my son’s health deteriorate.’ Max was then taken into intensive care at another hospital where he was put on morphine and antibiotics.
His weight dropped to six stone and his mother said doctors did not know whether he would survive. ‘Max needed help breathing and had bandages covering his entire body,’ she said.
Covered up: His weight dropped to six stone and his mother said doctors did not know whether he would survive
‘Every day he would have to have the bandages changed to stop infection, but I could see he was in agony whenever anyone touched his skin. He was drifting in and out of consciousness.’
With no known cure, the disorder was left to run its course and after four weeks his skin began to clear and he was allowed home.
Miss Wheatley said: ‘I am so proud of him for pulling through. He will have the scars for the rest of his life, but it is a small price to pay when he nearly died.
‘More research needs to be done to help SJS sufferers. It is a horrific illness and causes so much disfigurement and pain.’
Well: The disorder was left to run its course and after four weeks his skin began to clear and he was allowed home to be with his family
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.
britexpat,
Bulgaria,
3 hours ago
I suffered a Spine injury in 2012, the pain was excruciating so I took Ibuprofen for the pain… whilst taking it, I noticed the inside of my hands started peeling.. so I looked it up online and it said to stop taking it.
Then my hands started to heal up so it must have been Ibuprofen which caused it. I will never take it again.
pennyweb,
ALTON,
5 hours ago
Parents have been taught to reach for drugs too quickly. A cold doesn’t need medication but bed rest and hot lemon and honey. Far too many potentially dangerous drugs are available over the counter, with consumers being totally unaware of the dangers.
abake,
Lagos, Nigeria,
5 hours ago
How is this rare when you reported the same thing few days ago? DM.
The_Mutts_Nuts,
Got-Chopped-Off, United Kingdom,
5 hours ago
That’s the second case reported in the DM in less than a week. Terrible and extreme reaction to over the counter medicines. Fortunately, in both cases, the victims survived but it seems more through luck as hositals have no way of treating SJS, apart from changing bandages daily to stop further infection. Wishing Max a long and healthy future.
Jean 11 Chingford,
london,
5 hours ago
Bless his heart, and thank god he got better.
LGibs,
Liverpool, United Kingdom,
6 hours ago
Poor chap. Glad he’s alright now!
Still Grumpy,
Derby, United Kingdom,
6 hours ago
Just a reminder that all drugs carry risks – there is no such thing as a 100% safe drug. Pleased that he has recovered.
fedupreigate,
Reigate,
7 hours ago
that’s horrific poor lad –
Nerys,
Reigate, United Kingdom,
7 hours ago
Poor mum must have gone through hell, fortunately he survived.
VB,
Chelmsford Essex, United Kingdom,
8 hours ago
Although no where near to this extent, my son is also allergic to ibuprofen. I gave him a child’s medicine when he was about 3 or 4 and he became covered in a really angry rash. Avoided it at all costs since!
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