Kenyeon Lloyd recovers from RSV complications

Kenyeon Lloyd is described by his parents as a vibrant and lively 19-month-old boy who loves nothing better than to run around and get into everything he can.

He was a completely different child six months ago, when he suffered a near fatal case of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV.

It was the last weekend in November when Lynda Ham noticed her son wasn’t his usual energetic, happy self. She sought medical care, and Kenyeon was given an RSV test, which was positive for the condition. RSV is a virus that results in lung infections for babies and small children. RSV, a common cause of breathing problems in children age 2 and younger, usually occurs during annual winter breakouts.

Lynda went home with breathing treatments prescribed for Kenyeon. But by Dec. 5, Kenyeon’s breathing and fever still hadn’t improved.

“Kenyeon is such an active child, but all he wanted to do was sleep. He was breathing as if he had just ran 30 miles,” Lynda said.

Lynda took her son back to the pediatrician’s office that day. Tests showed his oxygen levels were dangerously low. Kenyeon was admitted to the McLeod Children’s Hospital for more intensive treatment of his RSV.

But further tests confirmed that Kenyeon was suffering from more than RSV. He had developed pneumonia in his left lung.

“Most cases of pneumonia can be treated with oral antibiotics,” said Dr. Carl Chelen, Medical Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. “However, in Kenyeon’s case, the infection spread beyond his lung tissue and into the space between his lungs and rib cage. There is no blood supply to this area, so the antibiotics do not work well in this space, known as the pleural space.”

That same night, Kenyeon was moved from the McLeod Children’s Hospital general pediatric floor to the PICU for treatment of the pneumonia and pleural effusion.

“I knew that being in ICU was not a good thing,” Lynda said. “I had heard of RSV, but didn’t know that it could cause pneumonia. When Kenyeon moved to the PICU, I knew that something was terribly wrong.”

Kenya Lloyd, Kenyeon’s father, is required to travel often for his work as a truck driver. When Lynda called to tell him of their son’s condition, Kenya started back for Florence.

“That drive was so hard,” Kenya said. “All I could do was keep calling my family and asking them to pray with me.”

If bacteria enters the lungs, the body attempts to fight off the infection. In some cases, the pleural space can fill up with fluid. When bacteria gets in this fluid, one develops the first stage of empyema. In the second stage of this condition, the fluid begins to thicken, and in the final stage, the lungs become encased with a covering of fibrous material. Kenyeon’s condition had progressed to the final stage.

Empyema can be a life-threatening condition if not treated. The infected areas can develop into large collections of pus that can rupture the airway or spread to tissues surrounding the heart. It can also spread to the brain through the bloodstream. Additionally, the layer of tissue surrounding the lungs is inflexible and restricts lung expansion. The infection can also leave scar tissue, which decreases lung capacity.

Dr. Gregory Jones of McLeod Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates was consulted, and he determined he would need to remove the tissue surrounding Kenyeon’s lungs in a procedure known as decortication.

Jones made an incision into Kenyeon’s chest wall to remove the membrane around his lungs. A chest tube was inserted to drain the remaining thickened fluid. After surgery, Kenyeon required a two-week recovery period in the PICU.

“I never thought in a million years I would see my child going through all of this,” Kenya said. “It is always somebody else’s child that you see on TV in such a condition.“

“The PICU Pediatric Subspecialists, Dr. Chelen and Dr. Judith Ugale, and the PICU nurses were excellent. I was at the hospital all day, but I knew I needed rest. When I had to leave, I felt at peace knowing they were taking care of Kenyeon,” Lynda said. “It was also convenient to have the McLeod Children’s Hospital right here in Florence. We could go home to Effingham to see our daughter or get a change of clothes.”

Kenyeon was finally moved out of the PICU three weeks after being admitted. But prior to discharge, Kenyeon began having difficulty breathing again. Dr. Dan Hopla of Ear, Nose, & Throat Associates of Florence evaluated Kenyeon’s airway and discovered trachael stenosis, or narrowing of Kenyeon’s trachea.

Hopla consulted with the Pediatric Ear Nose and Throat Specialists at the Medical University of South Carolina, and they agreed Kenyeon required a pediatric airway specialist only offered at MUSC. Chelen and Hopla prepared Kenyeon for transport by helicopter to Charleston.

There, Kenyeon required surgery to remove a section of his trachea and weekly dilation treatments to expand his trachea. He may require another surgery.

Today, Kenyeon’s parents have big dreams for their son.

“As smart as he is, I hope that he will grow up, finish school, go to college and become a doctor or a lawyer,” Kenya said.

“Kenyeon is our miracle child. He battled all of these serious medical conditions, and with the support of our medical specialists, managed to overcome them all,” Lynda said.

How to help

Donations to McLeod Children’s Hospital can be made during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration Broadcast on WBTW News13 from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday by calling (843) 665-4100 or toll-free (866) 668-4862 or by visiting the McLeod Foundation Web site at http://www.mcleodfoundation.org and clicking on the Children’s Miracle Network icon for an online submission.