Jett Travolta (John Travolta’s Son) and Kawasaki Disease
A Closer Look at What Ailed Jett Travolta
Fri., Jan. 2, 2009 4:55 PM PST by Natalie Finn
Lucky Mat/Getty Images
Kelly Preston has said that she believes toxic cleaning products in her family's home caused her son's health problems early in life.
Jett, her 16-year-old son with husband John Travolta, died suddenly Friday morning after suffering a seizure while on vacation with his familiy in the Bahamas. He was hospitalized when he was 15 months old with Kawasaki disease, a rare illness that mainly affects young children. It's treatable but can have unforeseen complications, including lasting damage to the heart.
The boy's body will remain at Rand Memorial Hospital in the Bahamas pending an autopsy.
The direct cause of Kawasaki disease remains unknown, but some studies have shown a possible link between the disease and exposure to carpet-cleaning chemicals or living in an area close to a stagnant body of water, according to research gathered by Children's Hospital Boston's Kawasaki Disease Program.
Studies also found that the disease is reported more frequently among children from higher socioeconomic groups, of which Jett Travolta was certainly a member. (Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys announced last month that his 6-year-old son, Baylee, has been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease.)
In 2002, Preston described to Montel Williams what the family went through when Jett got sick.
"Jett's whole immune system shut down, and he got really sick with high fevers, 104 and 105," she said. "I kept taking him into the doctor and they didn't know what was wrong with him. He developed a rash on his body, swollen lymph glands—it was horrible."
Doctors at Children's Hospital Los Angeles ultimately diagnosed Jett with Kawasaki disease.
"And lo and behold, they don't know how you acquire it, and lo and behold, there were tons of kids in the ICU with Kawasaki's," Preston said. "I'd never even heard of it. And they give you a questionnaire with about 50 questions on it. I went and talked to everybody— every single parent—and everyone had cleaned their carpets in the last couple of weeks. That was one of the questions. So I don't know what the correlation is...I'm just saying we need to know more."
Because of Jett's asthma and allergies, Preston told Williams, "We don't have any chemicals in the house. We're 90 percent organic, though there's some canned foods, a little bit of junk food here and there."
Also in 2002, Preston taped a helpful-hints video for The Oprah Winfrey Show, suggesting ways to childproof the cleaning products in the home.
"When I learned I was pregnant [with now 8-year-old Ella Bleu], the first thing I wanted to do was to create the perfect place to bring my baby home to," Preston said.
"I had all of this nesting energy. I'm sure you know that feeling. But sometimes when we think we are doing the right thing, like scrubbing the nursery spotless, even cleaning the carpet, we are actually inviting dangerous chemicals into our baby's world. Even what these chemicals leave behind can cause problems, so hold off on using so many cleaners."
The Children's Health Environmental Coalition has also recommended that children stay out of a house where the carpet has just been cleaned for at least four hours.
The debate over the exact cause of Kawasaki disease continues, and recent theories have focused on possible bacterial causes and whether children can have a genetic predisposition for infection.
"There is something about the act of shampooing that indirectly caused the outbreak," Dr. David Morens, an epidemiologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Md., told the Austin American-Statesman in 2006.
"It had nothing to do with the chemicals in the shampoo or rug fibers, but more likely with bacteria released into the air. There are whole ecosystems in a carpet...bacteria, spores and fungi that live and grow there."
While common symptoms include a high fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, cardiac complications can include inflammation of blood vessels in the coronary arteries, aneurysms and, in some cases, heart attacks.
Seizures have also been linked to Kawasaki, according to Aetna's InteliHealth site.
In June 2007, Travolta's legal camp fired back at rumors that the actor and his wife were refusing to publicly admit that Jett had autism and covering it up by claiming the boy had Kawasaki disease instead.
"The Travoltas are wonderful, loving parents, and their priority is their children," a Travolta attorney said. "They have and they continue to take the best possible care of their children. To suggest anything to the contrary is very hurtful to a loving family and also would be false and defamatory."
Showing posts with label KD Celebrity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KD Celebrity. Show all posts
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Baylee Littrell and Kawasaki Disease!
Backstreet Brian Littrell’s Boy Has Kawasaki Disease December 2008
Backstreet Brian Littrell's Boy Has Coronary Disease
Mon., Dec. 22, 2008 11:17 AM PST by Breanne L. Heldman
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell has been dealing with a larger than life situation recently.
The boy bander and his wife Leighanne's 6-year-old son, Baylee, spent the past week at the Scottish Rite children's hospital in Atlanta. He was released Saturday after being diagnosed with atypical Kawasaki disease, according to the singer's website. Baylee entered the care center with a variety of symptoms, including strep throat, erythema multiforme and hand, foot and mouth disease.
"After receiving a biopsy, blood tests, an EKG and two echocardiograms, Baylee was finally diagnosed with A-Typical [sic] Kawasaki Disease," Littrell writes. "We would like to stress A-Typical because Baylee did not have textbook symptoms of any of the viruses they thought he had.
"Kawasaki Disease causes inflammation in the coronary arteries as well as the walls of the small and medium sized arteries throughout the body," Littrell explains. "Unfortunately, Baylee's coronary arteries were affected. He received an IVIG, which is a treatment to bring down the inflammation in his coronary arteries."
A pediatric cardiologist will be keeping a close eye on the singer's son for the next six to eight weeks to ensure the treatment was effective.
According to Wikipedia's entry on Kawasaki disease, "with early treatment, rapid recovery from acute symptoms can be expected and the risk of coronary artery aneurysms greatly reduced."
"We want to thank everyone who prayed for us as well as all of the emails and phone calls," the Littrells write. "We are humbled by the love and compassion that people have for our son all over the world, thank you!"
(Originally published Dec. 22, 2008 at 9:52 a.m
Travolta opens charity in memory of dead son
Travolta opens charity in memory of dead son
Travolta opens charity in memory of dead son
METRO NEWS SERVICES
February 24, 2009 John Travolta has launched a charity in memory of his dead son, femalefirst.co.uk reports. The Hollywood actor and his wife Kelly Preston — whose 16-year-old son Jett died from a seizure in January — have created the Jett Travolta Foundation to help children with medical and emotional needs.The 55-year-old star’s official website says: “The Foundation shall endeavour to use its resources specifically to assist and provide relief to children with vision, hearing, mobility, communication, behaviour learning impairments or other special medical, environmental, health or educational needs.”Jett was found lying motionless in a bathtub on Jan. 2 at his family’s Bahamas hotel. The teenager had a history of fits and it is believed he experienced a seizure and fell and hit his head.He was found by a caretaker and immediately rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Jett was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease when he was two.
Travolta opens charity in memory of dead son
METRO NEWS SERVICES
February 24, 2009 John Travolta has launched a charity in memory of his dead son, femalefirst.co.uk reports. The Hollywood actor and his wife Kelly Preston — whose 16-year-old son Jett died from a seizure in January — have created the Jett Travolta Foundation to help children with medical and emotional needs.The 55-year-old star’s official website says: “The Foundation shall endeavour to use its resources specifically to assist and provide relief to children with vision, hearing, mobility, communication, behaviour learning impairments or other special medical, environmental, health or educational needs.”Jett was found lying motionless in a bathtub on Jan. 2 at his family’s Bahamas hotel. The teenager had a history of fits and it is believed he experienced a seizure and fell and hit his head.He was found by a caretaker and immediately rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Jett was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease when he was two.
KD Celebrity
Odd names, diseases top celebrity news stories- Kawasaki Disease
NEAHRING COLUMN: Odd names, diseases top celebrity news stories
When the children of celebrities make the news, it is usually a brief story about the bizarre name their parents have chosen for them. I think it started in the seventies, when musician Frank Zappa named his children Dweezil, Moon Unit, Ahmet, and Diva Thin Muffin Zappa. The practice has continued to this day with baby names like Apple, Bluebell, and Shiloh making the celebrity gossip pages.
In a fleeting moment of trendiness, I briefly considered the monikers Beavis and Pinecone before naming my son Daniel, but relented since I am not rich or famous enough to pay for a lifetime of therapy. Recently, however, two stories about celebrity children caught my attention for a different reason both boys had been diagnosed with a disorder called Kawasaki disease.Kawasaki disease is a serious yet treatable illness that results in multiple symptoms, including inflammation of the blood vessels. It is more common in children of Japanese and Korean descent although all ethnic groups are susceptible. It is more likely to affect boys and children younger than five and is seen more often in the winter months.The exact cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown. Many experts suspect that an infectious agent such as a bacteria or a virus is responsible, although fortunately the disease does not seem to be contagious. Recent research indicates that genetics appears to play a role as well. Some studies have demonstrated an association between Kawasaki disease and exposure to carpet cleaners or other chemicals, but a true cause-and-effect relationship has never been conclusively proven.The hallmark sign of Kawasaki disease is high fever that lasts for at least five days, usually accompanied by extreme irritability. There is no specific test for Kawasaki disease, but to confirm the diagnosis of a classic/typical case at least four out of these five signs must be present: bilateral red eyes without drainage, significantly swollen lymph glands in the neck, rash covering all or some of the body, red cracked lips with a red swollen "strawberry" tongue, or swelling and redness of the hands and feet with cracking and peeling on the palms and soles. If fewer signs are present, your child's doctor may make the diagnosis of atypical Kawasaki disease.Kawasaki disease causes inflammation of the blood vessels and can affect the heart and coronary arteries. Your child's doctor will order an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) to look for coronary artery aneurysms; weak, dilated areas of the arteries which can lead to further heart trouble.About a quarter of children with Kawasaki disease who are not treated develop aneurysms, but less than five percent of children who receive appropriate treatment will go on to have cardiac problems. Other long term consequences, like arthritis, are rare, and there is no evidence to support a link between Kawasaki disease and seizure disorders or developmental conditions such as autism.The mainstay of treatment for Kawasaki disease is intravenous gamma globulin, preferably given within ten days of the onset of fever. Aspirin is usually given as well for its anti-inflammatory and anticlotting properties. (While aspirin is perfectly appropriate for the treatment of Kawasaki disease, never give aspirin to your child unless it has been prescribed by a doctor.)The majority of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (including those with initial cardiac findings) can expect to make a full recovery. However, your doctor will want to monitor your child's heart closely even after the original symptoms have passed to ensure that everything is flowing smoothly. Scientists are continually learning more about Kawasaki disease, so hopefully one day it will be preventable as well as treatable.Dr. Betsy Neahring practiced pediatrics in Evansville for 10 years before (mostly) retiring to become "Daniel's Mom." Write to her at drbetsyneahring@aol.com.
NEAHRING COLUMN: Odd names, diseases top celebrity news stories
When the children of celebrities make the news, it is usually a brief story about the bizarre name their parents have chosen for them. I think it started in the seventies, when musician Frank Zappa named his children Dweezil, Moon Unit, Ahmet, and Diva Thin Muffin Zappa. The practice has continued to this day with baby names like Apple, Bluebell, and Shiloh making the celebrity gossip pages.
In a fleeting moment of trendiness, I briefly considered the monikers Beavis and Pinecone before naming my son Daniel, but relented since I am not rich or famous enough to pay for a lifetime of therapy. Recently, however, two stories about celebrity children caught my attention for a different reason both boys had been diagnosed with a disorder called Kawasaki disease.Kawasaki disease is a serious yet treatable illness that results in multiple symptoms, including inflammation of the blood vessels. It is more common in children of Japanese and Korean descent although all ethnic groups are susceptible. It is more likely to affect boys and children younger than five and is seen more often in the winter months.The exact cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown. Many experts suspect that an infectious agent such as a bacteria or a virus is responsible, although fortunately the disease does not seem to be contagious. Recent research indicates that genetics appears to play a role as well. Some studies have demonstrated an association between Kawasaki disease and exposure to carpet cleaners or other chemicals, but a true cause-and-effect relationship has never been conclusively proven.The hallmark sign of Kawasaki disease is high fever that lasts for at least five days, usually accompanied by extreme irritability. There is no specific test for Kawasaki disease, but to confirm the diagnosis of a classic/typical case at least four out of these five signs must be present: bilateral red eyes without drainage, significantly swollen lymph glands in the neck, rash covering all or some of the body, red cracked lips with a red swollen "strawberry" tongue, or swelling and redness of the hands and feet with cracking and peeling on the palms and soles. If fewer signs are present, your child's doctor may make the diagnosis of atypical Kawasaki disease.Kawasaki disease causes inflammation of the blood vessels and can affect the heart and coronary arteries. Your child's doctor will order an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) to look for coronary artery aneurysms; weak, dilated areas of the arteries which can lead to further heart trouble.About a quarter of children with Kawasaki disease who are not treated develop aneurysms, but less than five percent of children who receive appropriate treatment will go on to have cardiac problems. Other long term consequences, like arthritis, are rare, and there is no evidence to support a link between Kawasaki disease and seizure disorders or developmental conditions such as autism.The mainstay of treatment for Kawasaki disease is intravenous gamma globulin, preferably given within ten days of the onset of fever. Aspirin is usually given as well for its anti-inflammatory and anticlotting properties. (While aspirin is perfectly appropriate for the treatment of Kawasaki disease, never give aspirin to your child unless it has been prescribed by a doctor.)The majority of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (including those with initial cardiac findings) can expect to make a full recovery. However, your doctor will want to monitor your child's heart closely even after the original symptoms have passed to ensure that everything is flowing smoothly. Scientists are continually learning more about Kawasaki disease, so hopefully one day it will be preventable as well as treatable.Dr. Betsy Neahring practiced pediatrics in Evansville for 10 years before (mostly) retiring to become "Daniel's Mom." Write to her at drbetsyneahring@aol.com.
The Littrell Foundation
The Littrell family~ http://brianlittrell.com.
1/20/09
The Littrell family
The Littrell family will be appearing on the TV show The Doctors THIS Thursday, January 22nd to talk about Baylee and Kawasaki Syndrome. Check your local listings for showtimes
12/21/08
Update on Baylee
On Saturday December 20, 2008, Baylee T W Littrell was released from Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta.Before being admitted Baylee had been treated for or thought to have had strep throat, hand, foot, mouth disease and erythema multiforme. After receiving a biopsy, blood tests, an EKG and 2 echocardiograms, Baylee was finally diagnosed with A-Typical Kawasaki Disease. We would like to stress A-Typical because Baylee did not have text book symptoms of any of the viruses they thought he had. Kawasaki Disease causes inflammation in the coronary arteries as well as the walls of the small and medium sized arteries throughout the body. Unfortunately, Baylee's coronary arteries were affected. He received an IVIG, which is a treatment to bring down the inflammation in his coronary arteries. Baylee will be closely monitored for the next 6-8 weeks by a Pediatric Cardiologist to see if the treatment was effective. We want to thank every one who prayed for us as well as all of the emails and phone calls. Your love and support means so much to our family. The Hospital Staff were absolutely amazing. They made an extremely difficult time in our lives as comfortable as possible.We are humbled by the love and compassion that people have for our son all over the world, thank you!Brian and Leighanne Littrell
12/18/08
Baylee Littrell
For those of you who do not know or have not heard, Baylee Litrell has been in the hospital for the past few days. He will be starting a treatment this afternoon and the Littrell family asks that all Backstreet Boys fans please remember him in prayer during this trying time. Every little prayer helps and every single prayer counts! Brian and Leighanne would also like to wish you all Happy Holidays and thank for your thoughts and prayers....More information will follow and we will definitely keep you all updated.....
1/20/09
The Littrell family
The Littrell family will be appearing on the TV show The Doctors THIS Thursday, January 22nd to talk about Baylee and Kawasaki Syndrome. Check your local listings for showtimes
12/21/08
Update on Baylee
On Saturday December 20, 2008, Baylee T W Littrell was released from Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta.Before being admitted Baylee had been treated for or thought to have had strep throat, hand, foot, mouth disease and erythema multiforme. After receiving a biopsy, blood tests, an EKG and 2 echocardiograms, Baylee was finally diagnosed with A-Typical Kawasaki Disease. We would like to stress A-Typical because Baylee did not have text book symptoms of any of the viruses they thought he had. Kawasaki Disease causes inflammation in the coronary arteries as well as the walls of the small and medium sized arteries throughout the body. Unfortunately, Baylee's coronary arteries were affected. He received an IVIG, which is a treatment to bring down the inflammation in his coronary arteries. Baylee will be closely monitored for the next 6-8 weeks by a Pediatric Cardiologist to see if the treatment was effective. We want to thank every one who prayed for us as well as all of the emails and phone calls. Your love and support means so much to our family. The Hospital Staff were absolutely amazing. They made an extremely difficult time in our lives as comfortable as possible.We are humbled by the love and compassion that people have for our son all over the world, thank you!Brian and Leighanne Littrell
12/18/08
Baylee Littrell
For those of you who do not know or have not heard, Baylee Litrell has been in the hospital for the past few days. He will be starting a treatment this afternoon and the Littrell family asks that all Backstreet Boys fans please remember him in prayer during this trying time. Every little prayer helps and every single prayer counts! Brian and Leighanne would also like to wish you all Happy Holidays and thank for your thoughts and prayers....More information will follow and we will definitely keep you all updated.....
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