Chicken pox warning after 6-year-old boy suffers near fatal reaction

  • Watch the full video report by ITV Meridian's Mel Bloor

A couple from Berkshire are warning people to be aware of the dangers of chicken pox after their son suffered a near fatal reaction to the virus.

Six-year-old Keyan Harvey was treated at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after the virus turned into Necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating bug.

It is a rare and life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected and needs to be treated in hospital straight away.

Symptoms can develop quickly within hours or over a few days. 

Keyan's stomach became red and swollen Credit: Kevin Harvey

Keyan Harvey's condition worsened a few days after contracting chicken pox.

He had a high temperature and flu-like symptoms so his parents decided to take him to the Emergency Department at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough.

He was sent immediately to the John Radcliffe where he was operated on four times.

Keyan's father, Kevin Harvey, said: "It was so fast, it was a matter of hours that he went from being a normal boy, laughing and joking to very sleepy, delirious.

"It was really frightening. From chicken pox, which you think is very little, to spread to that was just such a shock and we felt like we were going to lose him at many points."

  • Shavonne Harvey, Keyan's mother

Keyan is expected to make a full recovery from the infection but will need reconstructive surgery later in life.

His parents hope by sharing his story, they can prevent it happening to others.

Check if you have Necrotising fasciitis

At first you may have:

  • intense pain or loss of feeling near to a cut or wound – the pain may seem much worse than you would usually expect from a cut or wound

  • swelling of the skin around the affected area

  • flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, headache and tiredness

Later symptoms can include:

  • being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea

  • confusion

  • black, purple or grey blotches and blisters on the skin (these may be less obvious on black or brown skin)

For more information on Necrotising fasciitis, please click here.