River Hefflin, a 15-month old boy, is just one of eight hospitalized children facing an uphill climb against e. coli, a potentially deadly bacteria that is all too commonly linked to fair grounds and petting zoos. Young River remains hospitalized at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. These preventable illnesses, says Ron Simon, who along with John Gomez were the lead attorneys in the San Diego County E. coli outbreak that turned deadly, need to end so our kids can have the same experiences we had growing up, but do so in a safe environment.”
According to Deidre Hefflin, right now dialysis is keeping River’s kidneys working, but the MRI confirmed that River had suffered brain damage and will likely have to learn how to walk and talk again. She added: “We were in serious need of a miracle. When he got out of surgery and they brought him back up for the dialysis to start the peritoneal dialysis that runs through his abdomen, he started having more neurological issues.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with River and the other children.
How Common is Serous Illness from E. coli Poisoning?
This is all too common in young people who develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, says E. coli lawyer Ron Simon, who has specialized in these cases for many years, including in recent petting zoo and day-care outbreaks of e. coli that have led to long-term illnesses in the children involve. “The difficulty in these cases is to get a proper diagnosis, full treat, and a commitment to continue to monitor a child’s health for years to come. HUS children often have the need for kidney transplants years later, and can suffer from intractable scarring of the kidneys. Neurological damage is also an important component, and examination by a pediatric neurologist.” Simon, who has filed high-profile e. coli daycare lawsuits and high profile county fair lawsuits, also added: “These outbreaks are, and remain, preventable. Animals will carry disease, including salmonella, e. coli, campylobacter, adn Listeria, but can easily be screened and contamination prevented. Screening remains the vest option, but good hand-washing, preventing contact with food and clothing, and constant vigilance in keeping these sites clean, can go a long way on preventing the spread o such dangerous bacteria.”
