Mum's horror as baby's 'teething' turns out to be sign of rare disease
The family were on a holiday to celebrate Aiden's birthday when he started to fall ill.
A mum has shared her horror after her eight-month-old baby was diagnosed with a rare cancer after displaying “typical” symptoms including teething.
Ashley Beauregard, 33, started to notice symptoms after a family holiday for her son Aiden’s birthday. "Aiden had been sick with a cough, extra fussy, and teething — we just assumed he was dealing with typical eight-month-old things," Ashley, from Michigan in the US, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
"However, a couple of days after our trip to Pittsburgh in March 2022, I began to think his colouring was off. We went over to my parents to visit, and they also pointed out how pale he was. I called his paediatrician, and we got an appointment for the following day."
Tests showed that the baby's haemoglobin was extremely low, and the couple were told to take him to the emergency room.
"There, they ran a complete blood count (CBC)," the mum explained. "His white blood count came back so high it was obvious he had leukaemia, and we were then in the hospital for 36 days. Life as we knew it was over. I felt absolute fear."
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Infant diagnosed with leukemia
Doctors diagnosed Aiden with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) — a rare type of blood and bone marrow cancer — and explained that his is even more rare as it harbours a genetic mutation.
They also said that his earlier symptoms — primarily prolonged sickness, paleness, and being fussy and irritable — were warning signs, with leukaemia often going under the radar due to having symptoms indicative of other illnesses.
"We have spent 236 days inpatient and countless clinic days in the hospital trying to battle the cancer with protocols, but unfortunately, Aiden has relapsed multiple times," Ashley said. "He had CAR-T immunotherapy that failed after 16 days. He also had a bone marrow transplant which failed after two months."
The toddler, who is now two, has had "countless blood transfusions, lumbar punctures, bone marrow biopsies, MRIs, CT scans, etc," and although he's currently in remission, doctor's have warned that he will most likely relapse due to the genetic mutation element.
"Five months after his transplant, he is now dealing with graft vs host disease. His entire body has basically broken out in a rash, but he's been on steroids and immunosuppressants for over a month now, and we are seeing improvement," Ashley said.
Mum speaks out about symptoms
Now, his mum is speaking out, sharing the worryingly typical symptoms her son was experiencing — the only warning that something was amiss.
"We need better and more treatment options. Most of what we have is outdated and meant for adults. Research for childhood cancer is severely underfunded, and there are so many types," Ashley added. "[But] the love and support people have shown us has been nothing short of incredible. Aiden has changed people's lives and brought families closer. He's making a difference."
The mum and her husband Marcus, 36, are now focused on enjoying every moment with Aiden and their eldest son Declan, 5.
"For the first year, our family life was turned upside down. My husband was taking care of our four-year-old while I was in the hospital caring for Aiden. It's changed the way I wanted to parent," she said. "It's also made me find joy in the mundane and truly look for the good because every moment counts. I'm so proud of my family for surviving this hell and finding ways to smile and laugh.
"Even though Aiden is still so happy and full of joy, he has been through more than anyone I know. He might not complain about things, but I think that's because he doesn't know any better.
"He understands things normal kids don't. He knows the steps to flush his central line, he knows which clinics he likes and doesn't like. This is all he's ever really known. Childhood cancer is our lives now. We will forever be altered."
Jam Press
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