Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), a primary immune deficiency, was once a fatal disease but is now considered a “pediatric emergency,” needing immediate diagnosis and treatment.
If it’s caught right away, it can be cured; but that doesn’t happen as often as it should because screening newborns for SCID is not a common practice. By the time it is diagnosed, the child has already had serious, and sometimes life-threatening infections as a result of a severely compromised immune system. The most common form of SCID is linked to the X-chromosome, thus affecting only male children.
Back in the 1970s, the world was fascinated by David Vetter, the “Boy in the Bubble.” Born with SCID, he lived his entire life inside a germ-free plastic bubble. Before passing at the age of 12, David was studied closely by doctors, and as a result of his blood cells, breakthrough treatments were created and today, children with SCID have a chance of leading a full life.
One of those children is a little boy in England named Seth. His mom started a blog called Our Little Hero to keep family and friends up-to-date on Seth’s condition.
His parents have always been impressed with their son’s inner strength, and how even in the midst of sickness, he’s maintained a sweet disposition.
Seth spent the first few years of his life terribly ill, but thanks to another little boy, who would be 40-years-old today if he had lived, Seth received a stem cell transplant. After a period of recovery, he is now going to school and is thriving, but because his immune system was severely depressed for such a long time, he developed osteoporosis, and recently fractured his leg. His mother reports that he is recovering nicely.
Seth’s parents are joyful over his progress and remain active in raising awareness about SCID.
