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A girl from North Texas struggling with a rare disease has returned home with her family.
She is one of a handful of Americans who have suffered from a rare infection that has baffled public health officials.
First responders from her hometown of Denison escorted 4-year-old Lylah Baker as she left the care of the Children’s Health team in Dallas to continue her recovery at home.
Lylah is now unable to walk or speak, a harsh reality for the family who just a few months ago were celebrating Lylah’s excitement for pre-K.
“She’s a princess who meets a superhero. She’s a tomboy of girls. She loves everything,” her aunt Ashley Kennon said.
Lylah suffered from a rare bacterial infection called melioidosis.
It is primarily a disease of tropical climates, particularly in Southeast Asia and northern Australia where it is widespread, according to the CDC.
For Lylah, it started out as a stomach virus but led to multiple secondary infections.
Within weeks, she was on a ventilator, suffered brain damage and was fighting for her life.
Kennon said no one was sure how she became infected with the bacteria, found in contaminated soil or water.
“We worked with the CDC and local health departments. They took samples of whatever we shared. They did interviews. They took blood from us,” said Kennon, who said several family members had tested positive for exposure to the bacteria although no one else became ill.
“They’re working, trying to figure out what’s going on, but at this point there are no answers as to what. They focused on cleaning products and some foods, essential oil, different things. and random, ”Kennon said.
No one, she said, had recently traveled outside of the United States.
The CDC is investigating three other cases of illness unrelated to travel.
According to this August CDC health advisory, four people were sick with the bacteria. Two were dead.
The August case in Georgia closely matches the three previously identified cases in Kansas, Minnesota and Texas in 2021, indicating that “they most likely share a common source of exposure,” the CDC notice said.
“They don’t know if they’ll be able to figure it out, but at this point it doesn’t matter,” Kennon said.
Their goal now, she said, is to help Lylah recover.
Their home has been remodeled for Lylah’s wheelchair.
She will need constant care, but there is no lack of hope and faith in the family.
“We just want what’s best for her. Everything else will fall into place, but as long as we take care of her and she gets what she needs, that’s what matters. for us, ”Kennon said.
To learn more about the rare tropical disease and its symptoms, visit the CDC website.
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