A Maryland family is mourning after a 10-year-old girl died from complications of the flu, just days after being dismissed from the hospital.
Minka Aisha Greene, a healthy and active elementary school student, was considered the “light” of her family. So, when the 10-year-old started having low energy and a lack of appetite in late January, her mother Kymesha Greene White was immediately concerned.
“We noticed her behavior changed because she normally doesn’t get sick. This was like her first time getting sick,” Kymesha told DC News Now.
Kymesha took her little girl to the emergency room and Minka was diagnosed with the flu and a UTI. She was given ibuprofen and sent home to rest. However, Minka started complaining about headaches so her mother took her back to the ER. During the second visit, she was given fluids and sent home again to rest.
Minka’s health ultimately took a turn for the worse on the morning of Feb. 6, when Kymesha found her daughter vomiting in bed.
“I heard her screaming, ‘Mommy!’ And I’m like, ‘What’s wrong?’ That’s when she said she couldn’t feel her legs and her feet,” she recalled.
Related: Girl, 9, Dies from Complications from the Flu: ‘She Was Too Perfect for This World’
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Kymesha and her husband David White rushed their daughter, who had not had the flu vaccine, to the hospital. She told the Capitol Heights Daily Voice that on the way there, one of her daughter’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and her tongue started moving uncontrollably.
Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Minka stopped breathing. Doctors performed CPR and other life-saving procedures but the parents were later told that their daughter had no brain activity.
“That was the last time I carried her, the last time I held her in my arms. I will cherish that for the rest of my life,” said David.
Minka later died on Feb. 10 at the hospital. “We had to let our baby go,” said Kymesha.
Following Minka’s death, the family learned that she suffered severe brain inflammation caused by the flu. They are now sharing their story in hopes of warning other parents. “Advocate for your babies,” Kymesha said. “When they say they’re hurting, tell the doctors.”
There are two types of influenza viruses: Flu A, and Flu B, according to Verywell Health. They both cause similar symptoms, like fever, body aches, and coughing. While Flu A is more common and thought to be more dangerous — the outlet reports that it accounted for 97% of cases during the 2022-2023 season — Flu B “symptoms can range from mild to severe.” Additionally, the National Institute of Health reports that “neurological complications occurred in one-fifth of hospitalized children due to influenza.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says, “Flu can be more dangerous than the common cold for children” and recommends preventative measures — such as vaccination and frequent hand washing.
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