Leane Ralls didn’t suspect anything. But this error of judgment cost him the most: the life of his six-year-old son Riley. What she thought was a simple cold turned into a raging heart condition. Today, this British mother testifies for “May no other parent experience what I experienced.”she confides.
“He was crying in pain”
Like many children his age, Riley got sick regularly. In September 2024, he presents the typical signs of a bad cold: fever, cough, fatigue.
“He had flu-like symptoms and a lung infection. He took antibiotics and corticosteroids, but nothing improved his condition.says his mother.
Faced with persistent symptoms, Leane considered taking her son to a specialized health center. But the delays turn out to be interminable. “He had a hospital appointment scheduled for November, which was obviously too far away.”she remembers.
On the morning of September 13, Riley’s condition deteriorated suddenly. The child complains of severe stomach pain.
“He was screaming and crying in pain. I thought it was his stomach, but it was his chest.”specifies the young woman.
Convinced that it was a simple infectious episode, she administered Calpol, a paracetamol for children. The little boy seems to be a little better, plays ball, then goes up to his room. A few hours later, Leane goes upstairs to call him for dinner. “When I went up to get him to feed him, he was no longer there. It was taken away from me.”.
Myocarditis mistaken for a cold
Doctors discovered that Riley was not suffering from a cold, but from
myocarditisan inflammation of the heart muscle often of viral origin. This rare but serious disease can go unnoticed because its first symptoms resemble those of a mild infection.
“Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle, often triggered by a common viral infection such as a cold, flu or gastroenteritis. It is this common origin that makes initial diagnosis so difficult.”explains Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical.
Misleading symptoms
The first signs of a viral infection — fever, cough, runny nose, fatigue, muscle pain — are well known. But in the case of myocarditis, other symptoms can be added or confused with those of the common cold:
- Extreme and disproportionate fatigue:
the child is apathetic, lethargic, without energy ; - A general weakness: he can no longer stand, struggles to walk ;
- Chest or abdominal pain ;
- Breathing difficulties:
rapid breathing, shortness of breath ; - Palpitations or an abnormally fast pulse ;
- Marked pallor or cold sweats.
“At first, we only see the cold. Cardiac symptoms may appear a few days after the start of the infection, while the signs of a cold are still present.”warns Dr. Kierzek.
When should you consult urgently?
Certain events should immediately alert parents:
- Extreme and abnormal fatigue: The child is “soft”, no longer plays, no longer smiles, remains prostrate”;
- Breathing difficulties: “The rbreathing is faster than usual, there is shortness of breath at rest or with minimal effort (such as drinking a bottle), drawing (the muscles between the ribs widen when inhaling)”;
- Persistent chest or abdominal pain;
- Color change: “L‘child is pale, livid, or has bluish lips (cyanosis)’;
- Discomfort, dizziness, a feeling of “head spinning”;
- Very fast or irregular pulse “that you can feel at the wrist or neck”;
- Vomiting (especially if repeated).
- Decrease in the amount of urine (a sign that the heart is not pumping well enough to supply blood to the kidneys).
While waiting for help to arrive, do not give any medicine without medical adviceespecially not non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen), which can aggravate certain myocarditis. The child must stay
at strict rest.
“A child who has a fever of 40°C but who plays between peaks is often less worrying than a child at 38°C, prostrate and ‘not at all himself’.”recalls Dr. Kierzek.
“Trust your instincts as a parent”
For Leane Ralls, the message is clear: you must listen to your instincts and never minimize a change in behavior in a sick child.
“If you feel like something is wrong, see a doctor immediately, call 15 or go to the emergency room. It is always better to have an unnecessary consultation than to miss a serious pathology like myocarditis.”concludes Dr Gérald Kierzek.
To remember
- Myocarditis can occur after a common viral infection;
- Its first signs often imitate those of a simple cold;
- Excessive fatigue, shortness of breath or unusual behavior should always be a warning.