A Baltimore family is living a nightmare. The parents tell ABC2 their 4-year-old girl could have been fighting for her life if they hadn't caught a potentially deadly staph infection.
Latoya Sessoms says she's devastated over her daughter's condition. Doctors tell the family Leara has Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome.
It's the most serious skin staph infection and usually affects children under the age of five. Leara is four.
She began showing symptoms on Friday and doctors told Sessoms that had she not gotten her daughter treatment when she did, the infection may have killed her.
This type of infection occurs when staph bacteria release a poison that damages the skin. The result is skin that looks burned or peels off.
The family is hoping for a speedy recovery and wants to know how their child got the infection in the first place.
Sessoms says Leara is a student at Yorkwood Elementary School.
ABC2 received a statement from Baltimore City Public Schools saying that all appropriate controls at the school, including cleaning and sanitizing is being done.
Still, this has already been a painful ordeal.
"I can't even pick her up to comfort her which is like a punch in the gut to a mom you know, she's suffering and i can't even help her. This is something other parents should know about so they won't go through this because i do care more about other people's children than peoples egos in this case," Sessoms said.
City school officials said they're in contact with the Baltimore City Health Department and have been informed of only a single reported case of illness.
If there are more, the health department will work with school administrators to notify families.
The health and safety team will be at Yorkwood Elementary School Wednesday.
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