Kansas City,
09
May
2016
|
15:09 PM
America/Chicago

Critical Care Transport delivers expert care, plus a movie, for this tiny dancer

Lynox Ellis

In July 2015, Lynox Ellis faced the grueling challenge of a national dance competition and battled to win the title of champion. In September, however, she faced a whole different challenge, and with the help of Children’s Mercy once again she’s come out on top.

In September, when 8-year-old Lynox started experiencing abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea her parents, Emily and Jason, thought she had the flu. But then her symptoms evolved. Her thirst seemed unquenchable and, when they tried to talk to her, she seemed slow to respond.

They decided not to take any risks. They headed from their home in Lenexa, Kansas, to the emergency room at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas in Overland Park.The Emergency Department staff took a sample of Lynox’s blood to begin determining the cause of her illness. Almost immediately, they saw Lynox’s ketones and blood-sugar levels were dangerously high – signs of diabetic ketoacidosis – a serious, life-threatening illness that can cause diabetic coma or death. Immediate life-saving treatments were administered and the Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas team quickly determined that Lynox needed immediate critical care transport to the Children’s Mercy Adele Hall Campus Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The Children’s Mercy Critical Care Transport team was immediately dispatched for Lynox in their mobile pediatric intensive care ambulance.

While the distance between the two facilities is almost 18 miles, Jason said the ride didn’t seem to take long at all – primarily due to the special efforts of the critical care transport team. The crew continued treating Lynox with an insulin infusion and IV fluids while distracting her from the emergency situation.

“The Transport Team was courteous, professional and worked well with Lynox,” Jason said. “They explained everything they were going to do and why.” They even asked Lynox if she wanted to watch a movie to make the ride pass as quickly as possible.Due to the pediatric expertise of both the ED staff and the Children’s Mercy Critical Care Transport team, Lynox’s condition had stabilized on arrival to the PICU. For the next four days she remained in the hospital for continued intensive monitoring, treatment and education. When she went home with her new diagnosis – type-1 diabetes – she and her family were prepared.

Emily says she and Jason were glad Lynox was treated by Children’s Mercy. “We knew they would be able to help her,” she said.

Today, Lynox is doing well. “She’s still learning all the outs and ins of diabetes,” Emily said. But she already tests her own blood and gives herself insulin. “She likes to share information about diabetes with all her classmates and friends at dance,” Emily added. While acknowledging that Lynox will have diabetes for the rest of her life, Emily knows the diagnosis doesn’t put any limitations on her. “It will not impair her hopes and dreams,” she said.

Read more about Children's Mercy's Critical Care Transport.

Read more about Children's Mercy's Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

Read more about Children's Mercy's Diabetes Center.