This Mother's 2 Week Old Son Was In Pain Crying Non-Stop. Then Doctors Revealed Her Terrifying Mistake

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Lucinda Armstrong’s brand new two-week-old son started crying and would not stop. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she knew that something was not right. His temperature was climbing high as his little body turned red all over. She made the decision to take him immediately to the hospital, where the doctors told her she may have made a mistake. This mistake could have terrifying consequences.

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When Lucinda welcomed Ezra Armstrong into this world at nine pounds she knew he was a big baby to love. Normally, newborns ingest a lot of milk to give their growing cells nutrition and to maintain a healthy body weight gain. However, Ezra Armstrong's intake became a little excessive, even for his size and weight.

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Lucinda's newborn was drinking four ounces of milk every couple of hours and seemed to be gaining a lot of weight. Those measurements are double the normal portions for an infant even for little Ezra. Lucinda recounts matter of factly, Ezra was "gaining weight like a pro." 

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When Ezra began to cry incessantly, Lucinda started realizing it was not because Ezra was hungry anymore. Lucinda also had another child to compare infancies too. Her two year old daughter, Lena, helped her realize that there was a big difference ensuing between a cry for more food and a crying that was being triggered by something way more serious in stature that Lucinda could fathom. 

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Lucinda had an interview with an Omaha, Nebraska, TV station KETV and revealed, “He was red all day, he pretty much cried his eyes out all day and then when we took his temperature at night time it was bad.” When Ezra's temperature was measured at the hospital it was an alarming 101.6 ºF, which can permanently brain damage any child. 

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Normally, a newborn baby's temperature should fall around 97.5 F. Anything above a 99.5 F is considered a fever and not normal body behaviour. When Lucinda saw her baby's temperature was above 99 degrees, she made the executive decision to rush Ezra to the hospital. 

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In Iowa at Council Bluff’s Mercy Hospital the doctors began running tests and examining little Era right away. One of the major tests they conducted was a spinal tap to find a deeper meaning behind this newborns trauma. They found a staggering situation. Little Ezra had meningitis which is ultimately a life threatening bacterial infection of the brain. 

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Displayed above is a drawing of a healthy brain and then one which is infected by Meningitis. The bacterial infection causes swelling of the lining that wraps around the brain and spinal cord. Upon discovery doctors quickly transfered little Ezra to Omaha, Nebraska's Children's Hospital and Medical Center. He immediately underwent more tests and was referred to specialists who have treated this infection before.

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Dr. Kari Simonsen was the specialist who cracked the mystery. She was the doctor who pinpointed the fact that his meningitis came from another source. Dr. Simonsen said, “Listeria is a particular type of bacteria that’s known to cause meningitis.” Listeria is found from contaminated food. 

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In conclusion, Dr. Simonsen stated that what little Ezra had was ultimately preventable. She coninuted by stating, “Infants are one of the most susceptible [to listeria meningitis]. Most babies get it around the time of delivery from their mother, who’s acquired it usually from a food.” 

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Now that we know this medical condition is not only preventable but passed down from mother to child, we need to ensure that pregnant women are really watching what they eat. Most of the time when Liseria is passed onto a newborn the mother is found to be in good health and sometimes unaware she even has it. The mother's immune system is usually fully developed, and like Lucinda would not have shown any symptoms before passing on the infection to her newborn. 

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Dr. Simonsen continues by stating that, “Oftentimes, the mom won’t become clinically ill because of her normal immune system.” Newborns and infants on the other hand are very vulnerable to bacteria of any sort. Ezra's illness is not considered contagious, but is passed down from mother to an unborn child in the womb. 

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Lucinda Armstrong was therefore carrying this bacteria unbeknownst to her, and ultimately almost killing her small helpless infant who was in complete and utter peril. What is sad about the situation is that Lucinda and Ezra's situation could have been completely avoided if she just changed her diet. Listeria is found in commonly eaten foods such as raw milk, refrigerated smoked seafood, raw sprouts, raw hot dogs, deli meats, and Pates aka duck liver. 

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Lucinda Armstrong ate cold deli meats shortly before she gave birth to little Ezra. It is thought that she contracted the infection from these food's bacteria. Listeria can survive in cold temperatures, such as the back of the fridge where meats and cheeses like to gather and hide from consumption.

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There are many warning labels out there for moms-to-be. Society takes great care to make sure the information is out there in order for mishaps like little Ezra's do not take place. The foods that ultimately hinder a pregnancy and the health of a newborn are deli meats such as salami, chorizo, Parma ham or pepperoni. These meats are cured, which is a method of salting and drying meat rather than cooking it. This enables bacteria to still live on the surface due to non exposure to abnormally high temperatures that usually kill the bacterias. 

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There are other meats on the list to avoid like turkey, hot dogs and bologna as well as many types of soft cheese and mold-ripened cheese. Cheese after all is mold and bacteria ridden! Doctors through the ages have advised pregnant or nursing women to only ingest thoroughly cooked meats for this very reason. The hotter the food item is on consumption the better for all little ones involved. Lets not be pregnantly selfish here! 

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In hindsight at Lucinda and Ezra's situation, Dr. Simonsen offered some practical and obious advice for pregnant women watching their diet unselfishly. She said, “I think the main takeaway for moms would be to listen to your obstetrician’s advice. In this case the foods that might be dangerous for moms to consume while pregnant.”

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Lucinda learned a valuable lesson, even though it was at her newborn child's expense. She is mortified at her hand in her child's misery, and how what an innocent decision could have cost her, her child's life. She now has an inspiring message for all pregnant and nursing mothers who may want to make the best decisions for their offspring's health. Lucinda is mortified and she hopes her message to all parents who may find themselves in a similar situation is heard. 

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Armstrong told KETV, “I’d tell them to go with their gut. If they feel something’s wrong, it’s much better going to the hospital and figuring out nothing is wrong rather than not going, then to figure out something bad happened.” Grateful for her quick thinking in little Ezra's cry for help, and the expertise of the medical staff, Ezra is now a healthy little guy and made good time into full recovery.

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The events that transpired could have turned for the worst, as Lucinda realizes she could have lost her precious son. Armstrong added, “[I was] sitting here thinking about it and I just broke down in tears because I think of how bad it could’ve been if it would’ve gone untreated. If we wouldn’t have thought anything of it at the time, we could’ve lost him.” So sad, yet a powerful message just the same. 

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