Saving Marvin’s Sight

Why did Marvin suddenly lose vision in one eye? The nine-year-old had stayed home from school that day with a stomach bug. When he told his mom what was happening, she took him to their local eye doctor. After examining Marvin, he insisted they go right to Boston Children’s Emergency Department. “I take my own kids there. You’ll be in good hands,” the doctor told them.

At Boston Children’s specialists quickly diagnosed Marvin with Optic Neuritis (ON), a condition that is rare in children and can result in severe vision loss. Often coming after an infection such as a cold, ON causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the optic nerve. Early treatment can prevent permanent damage, so Marvin’s care began right away.

Exceptional care and kindness

For the next two weeks, Boston Children’s was Marvin’s home away from home. He received intravenous steroids to fight inflammation and plasma exchange treatments to filter his blood, back-to-back. Finally, he received infusions of antibodies from healthy donors to protect his optic nerve and restore his vision. Further testing was done to rule out genetic illnesses or pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). Some children who initially have ON can develop MS if new attacks to the brain or spinal cord occur.
Marvin’s parents never left his side and daily visits from his grandparents and uncle made a scary time a bit easier. Marvin also has type 1 diabetes. He appreciated the kindness of child life specialists who helped him cope with the ups and downs that come with shifting glucose levels. Creative breaks with an art specialist and video game sessions with a gaming specialist kept his spirits up.

A thankful homecoming

Marvin’s vision quickly improved and his family was grateful to bring him home on Thanksgiving night. His family is also thankful when they see Marvin dance, draw dragons and excel at school. He is incredibly articulate, speaks Spanish at home with his grandparents and is learning Japanese on Duolingo for fun.