CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina mother is speaking out after a mosquito bite sent her 6-year-old son to the hospital for nearly a week.
At first, Noah complained about having a headache. His mom said he was bitten despite wearing bug spray. That mosquito bite caused headaches, which quickly turned into seizures and six days in the hospital.
"It's been very hard. Especially at nighttime, he wakes up and he cries, having nightmares," said Lorianne Surrett.
Doctors diagnosed Noah with La Crosse encephalitis, a virus transmitted through mosquito bites which can cause brain swelling.
"He was blue, eyes rolled back in his head," said Surrett. "The day after he got admitted into the hospital he was just lifeless."
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 70 cases of La Crosse encephalitis are reported in the U.S. each year. Most severe cases occur in kids 16 and younger.
"There were so many times it went through my mind not knowing if he was gonna make it," Surrett said.
Which is why she shared Noah's story on Facebook. As of Tuesday, it's been shared almost 14,000 times, and Lorianne is hoping her son's story proves as a warning to parents everywhere.
"Take the precaution, take the extra step toward it," she said. "Because I never thought a mosquito bite would've ever done this to my kid, never."
Experts say when you become infected by a mosquito bite it takes 15 days for symptoms to show. They say the best way to stay protected is to wear long sleeves and limit your time outdoors, especially near standing water. Noah's family has started a GoFundMe page. If you'd like to help the family on Noah's road to recovery, click here.