NC mom sends warning after mosquito bite leaves 6-year-old in ICU

ASHEVILLE, NC (ABC News) — Mosquitoes can be more than a nuisance this time of the year. A North Carolina mother is sounding that warning as her son recovers from a potentially life threatening mosquito borne virus.

“I literally thought my child was gone when I saw him,” said Lorianne Surret, mother of Noah Surret.

A mother’s warning after her son fell dangerously ill from an infection that doctors say started with a mosquito bite.

“His lips were blue, his eyes were fixed,” said Surret.

Lorianne Surrett says 6-year-old Noah suddenly started experiencing severe headaches then suffered a seizure.

“He screams out in pain from the headaches, and he’s really just like a zombie,” said Surret.

Doctors diagnosing Noah with “La Crosse Encephalitis” – a rare condition passed through diseased mosquito that can cause swelling in the brain.

“It causes a fever and then a progressive headache and then it worsens from there,” said Dr. Sapna Parikh.

While Noah’s case is uncommon, the CDC says illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites tripled from 2004 to 2016. Experts say children are especially vulnerable.

“You want to watch – is the headache worsening, is the fever persisting, if pain relievers aren’t working or if the child is becoming more and more lethargic or like this family noticed, their child just didn’t seem quite right – that’s when you want to worry,” said  Parikh.

Noah is spending days in a North Carolina ICU but is now on the road to recovery.

“In five days, I had not heard my child’s voice. And that was the sweetest sound that I have ever heard,” said Surrett.

His mom is hoping his story will sound the alarm for other parents.

“This is something that no parent should have to go through – just over a mosquito bite,” said Surrett.