Family battles toddler's neurological disorder that turns infants into 'human time bombs'

A three-year-old toddler, Henry Saladino, is suffering from alternating hemiplegia of childhood, also called AHC, which is a rare neurological disorder and the people suffering from the disorder are referred to as “human time bombs.”

Henry, at any moment, can suffer a life-threatening seizure, stop breathing or become paralysed – and the doctors cannot know when it will occur or if he will survive, as per a report published by CNN.

As per the report, the infant's parents, Mary and Anthony, have started the non-profit organisation “For Henry” to raise $3 million so that the child can receive a genetic treatment, which if turns out to be successful will make the infant the case of AHC to be treated and will also open the path for others suffering from the similar disorder to receive treatment.

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“When you’re feeling that fear you’re going to lose your child, you have to be thinking what would I want to give him as his mom if this is it? I want him to hear how much we love him, but also oh my God, I have to save him, what’s his oxygen level? Do I need to resuscitate him? Did I give the first dose of rescue medication?” Saladino said while speaking to CNN.

“It’s an unbelievable amount of trauma and it’s going to happen over and over again, no matter what we do, until we develop this treatment,” she added.

The family is running against time to make it possible that Henry receives the treatment before his brain is irreversibly damaged during one of his seizures.

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“We have reached a point where, as a clinician, I am unable to provide Henry with a better option to try and prevent him from having more seizures or episodes,” said Dr Christelle Achkar, Henry’s neurologist.

“Henry is one of those children who are at higher risk of premature death due to their condition, and if they survive, there is always a concern of the potential for severe regression. This is his only chance,” the doctor added.

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