Mom of 7-year-old hospitalized with brain swelling from measles: ‘I still wouldn’t have given my son the vaccine’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/heal ... 18500.html
Instead, since late January, the schoolboy has been confined to a hospital bed with measles encephalitis, a complication that causes swelling and inflammation in the brain. “He's pretty much as if he was paralyzed,” his devastated father, 41, told The Independent in a phone interview from his son’s hospital bedside.
Ethan’s parents decided not to immunize him against measles as they did with his three brothers. Three out of four of them contracted measles. Still, despite Ethan’s ordeal, his mom stands by their decision. “We’re not blaming God for this,” said 35-year-old Kristina. “Yes, it hurts, of course, it hurts. But God has chosen Ethan for a reason. God is doing something, and we're gonna glorify his name regardless.
“And we wouldn't change it any other way,” the mom continued. “If I knew this could be the outcome, I still wouldn't have given my son the vaccine.”
“Our biggest reason why we didn't do it is just with all the unnecessary stuff they add into it,” Kristina added, referring to her beliefs about the vaccine.
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Ethan and his family live in South Carolina’s Spartanburg County, the epicenter of the outbreak where cases of the highly contagious virus have exploded in recent months. There have been 962 confirmed cases in the state since the outbreak began in September 2025, surpassing the 762 cases reported in West Texas last year.
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“That's when they told us that there's inflammation in the center of his brain, and they were waiting for the spinal tap to confirm that it is measles encephalitis,” Kristina said.
Doctors explained to the couple that the swelling on the brain would impact Ethan’s movement and speech
He can't move his body, but his brain, his mind… My son is 100 percent there,” Kristina added. “He understands everything. He hasn't lost any of his memory or anything.”
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And Ethan’s neurologist told his parents at the weekend that while some inflammation in the brain remains, some areas have shown signs of improvement, Luis said. “He is no longer on any meds and is communicating a lot better, and moves his arms,” the dad said.
“Walking will be a process,” he added, and said Ethan should soon be able to begin physical therapy
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Ethan’s mom believes that “there will be a miracle.”
“That’s what’s keeping us strong, and being able to be here with him,” she said from Ethan’s bedside. “We know it's in God's hands.”
JFC that poor kid. What absolute dumbshit yokel parents.
. 2024-25 was also only 7 episodes. 
. Who is paying for Ethan’s care?
, or may have gotten booted early. 