A 14-year-old schoolgirl from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, has been left paralysed from the neck down after a severe case of the flu triggered a spinal stroke. Lexi Brown fell ill in December last year, experiencing dizziness and a high temperature. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to her being placed in a neuroprotective coma at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
The Sudden Onset
Lexi's mother, Stacy Grantham, 33, recalled receiving a phone call from her daughter, who was screaming in pain. Stacy rushed home to find paramedics and an air ambulance resuscitating Lexi. The teenager had to be resuscitated twice. Before falling ill, Lexi was described as a healthy and active teenager with a passion for singing and theatre.
Diagnosis and Aftermath
Doctors believe Lexi suffered a spinal stroke caused by the flu. When she woke from the coma, she was unable to walk, talk, or breathe on her own. She has been using a ventilator since the episode. Stacy said, "When she woke, she was paralysed from the neck down and we were told she'd have no movement again, and be ventilated for the rest of her life."
Glimmers of Progress
Through intensive physiotherapy, Lexi has shown signs of improvement. She can now breathe independently during the day, though she still requires a ventilator at night. She has regained some movement in her limbs, but not enough for functional tasks. Lexi can speak, but her voice is huskier due to a tracheostomy tube. Her mother noted, "She was an avid singer and her voice has been taken away, that's been devastating for her."
A significant milestone was achieved when Lexi managed to sit up by herself for about 30 seconds, something doctors had previously said she would never do.
Family Support and Challenges
Lexi's parents, Stacy and Craig Brown, 37, along with stepmother Lou Baird-Brown, 33, and brothers Jake, 12, and Theo, one, visit her regularly. The family has set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £8,200, to help with travel expenses and potential home adaptations. Stacy may need to give up her job to support Lexi's recovery.
The family has also joined the local council housing register because their rented home is not wheelchair-friendly, making necessary adaptations difficult.
