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Kyson Gracie (submitted photo)
Go fund me page for support

Local infant recovering from RSV in Calgary also diagnosed with a heart issue

Feb 10, 2020 | 5:26 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – An almost 2-month-old baby boy named Kyson was flown to Calgary Children’s Hospital last week when his RSV conditions worsened.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects the lungs and breathing passages and is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children.

Kyson Gracie and his family went to Medicine Hat Hospital on Thursday night and flew on Friday to Calgary.

Following more tests and ultrasound on Sunday, doctors also found Kyson has a heart issue.

One of the valves in his heart is too narrow to help the heart function properly.

Kyson’s aunt Brittney Rieger says on Thursday in hospital, he started holding his breath, doctors tried to give him oxygen, then his heart rate went down.

“Then they had to put him under and once they put him under they ended up putting tubes in and he ended up going into a coma state. Once that happened flew him to Calgary Children’s Hospital. They recently found out he does have a heart issue so he’s needing to get heart surgery as well once he heals from RSV.”

South Zone Medical Officer of Health Lizette Elumir says, “RSV, in particular, has been shown to cause the narrowing in the airwaves that makes it really hard for them (infants) to breathe. All of the cold viruses do that but for some reason, RSV, in particular, tends to really do that to infants so much so that they can get very sick.”

Kyson’s mom and dad are staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Calgary during his treatment.

In the meantime, their 3-year-old daughter Nova is staying with family in Medicine Hat.

Rieger has set up a Go Fund Me page for Kyson. You can donate by visiting this link.

Their goal is to raise $2,000 to offset expenses while being in Calgary.