Mother hopes to designate August as SJS Awareness Month
July 6th, 2010 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
When Kelly Samson of Toledo, Ohio, first noticed spots breaking out on her daughter’s skin, she assumed her daughter had come down with the chickenpox. She was wrong. The young girl was diagnosed with something far more serious, a serious skin reaction known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS).
SJS is rare but life threatening, and it can happen to anyone regardless of age. The average person has about a one in a million chance of developing the condition, which is most often described as an allergic reaction to medication. Drugs most often associated with SJS include anti-seizure and anti-viral medications, ibuprofen, antibiotics and sulfur drugs. Often, doctors cannot pinpoint a specific drug that causes a reaction.
“It’s still terrifying not knowing the cause,” Kelly told ABC 13. The memories are enough to give any mother nightmares. “She swelled up … She was unrecognizable,” she said. SJS begins with a painful rash that can cause the skin to peel off in sheets. Sufferers are at risk for serious infection and even death.
Doctors advise consumers and parents in particular to be aware of any reactions experienced after taking medication. Signs of allergic reaction to medication may include a rash, and sores on the lips, tongue, mouth, nose or vaginal area. If reactions like these are noticed, the offending medication should be stopped and medical attention sought immediately.
Kelly hopes other parents don’t confuse the serious symptoms of SJS with chickenpox. “It could be a fatal mistake,” she said. Kelly is hoping to have August designated as SJS Awareness Month.