5-year-old Decatur boy in ICU with COVID related illness

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A north Alabama family had their world turned upside down this week when their five year old checked into the ICU.

Xyden Luckett is battling a COVID-19 related illness, multi-system inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C.

”I cried day in day out. I did not sleep. Wouldn’t eat,” Brooke Willis, Xyden’s mother said.

Brooke Willis’ son has been in the ICU fighting a rare illness. Xyden checked into Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children on Monday after coming down with a high fever.

“They said that it looks as if he had COVID antibodies in the blood work,” she said.

But Willis says her son nor anyone in her family has tested positive for COVID-19.

“That’s what really shocked me about it.”

Dr. Steffane Battle, who works in pediatrics at UAB, says it is an exaggerated inflammatory response to COVID-19 that affects children ages one to 20.

“Typically children have mild symptoms, but this is an example of those that can have more severe, potentially life threatening infections,” she said.

His condition worsened and he had to be placed on breathing and feeding tubes.

Through all the anxiety Willis says her family has been showered in support from across the country.

“I have seen literally everybody come together for my son. And I cant be more thankful for the prayers, for the gifts, for everything.”

And Willis tells WAFF she got some wonderful news Friday.

“Xyden is actually breathing on his own now. They’re going to try to remove the tubes in the morning. So I’m just hoping that he keeps progressing.”

Willis says this experience has opened her eyes.

“This COVID stuff is real. It is real. And I’ll tell you now, I was the one taking it lightly at first. Once it got to the point it was attacking my baby’s heart and lungs and he cant help himself. That’s when I was like ok, people have to know about this.”

Dr. Battle tells me more than 10 children have gotten this in Alabama.

But parents should look out for these symptoms- a fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, rash, and a severe headache.