Local girl overcomes fatal illness

Toledo, Ohio (WTVG) -- Now her mother wants to arm parents with life-saving information about this very rare disease.

A little Toledo girl has overcome what could have been a fatal illness. Now her mother wants to arm parents with life-saving information about this very rare disease.

Two years ago Mikki Sampson fought Stevens- Johnson Syndrome - a potentially deadly disease. Her mom says it looked like the chicken pox but got much worse.

Mikki's mother, Kelly Sampson says, "She swelled up to where she was unrecognizable. We got really lucky. Her skin did not slough off or peel. To this day they still can't tell us why."

These are severe cases of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. What starts with blisters can lead to the skin peeling off, causing extreme pain and infection, even death. It's treated with intravenous treatment and fluids.

Dr. R.W. Mills from Mercy Children's Hospital says it's incredibly rare, about one in a million. Most cases are caused by bad reactions to viruses or certain medications.

"Literally the body's immune system starts to attack the body," says Dr. Mills.

Dr. Mills says parents with children prescribed anti-seizure or sulfur medications such as bactrim or septra must respond quickly to any symptoms.

"At the first sign of any sores on the lips, tongue, mouth, blood shot eyes, sores and in the nose. Any of this is an emergency and need to stop that medication immediately and go see your doctor."

Dr. Mills says of the rare few who get it, like Mikki, 95 percent will be fine.

"The vast majority of kids who get the regular viruses are going to fight these viruses perfectly well. The immune system will work."

Kelly says she just doesn't want other parents to mistake Stevens-Johnson Syndrome for chicken pox.

Kelly says, "It could be a fatal mistake and I don't want parents to have to go through what I did."

Mikki's mother is trying to establish August as Stevens-Johnson awareness month to educate more people about this disease. For more information go to the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome foundation's official site

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