rises, and gusty winds. Showers remain possible heading into the weekend while temperatures remain at, or slightly above, seasonal averages. SCARY MOMENTS FOR A SWANTON FAMILY AFTER THEIR ONE YEAR OLD HAD AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO TOUCHING A MOTH COCOON. WE SPOKE WITH AN EXPERT AND THE BOY'S MOM. WHO ARE NOW WARNING OTHER FAMILIES OF WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH. COOPERS MOM, COURTNEY SMYTHE, SAYS IT ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY SHE DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD GRABBED THE TUSSOCK MOTH COCOON... UNTIL HE STARTED SCREAMING AND CRYING WHILE PLAYING IN THEIR LIVING ROOM. SMYTHE FOUND FIBERS FROM THE COCOON STUCK TO COOPERS HAND, WHICH SHE COULDN'T REMOVE HERSELF. DOCTORS TREATED HIM WITH TYLENOL, BUT BY SATURDAY, COOPERS SYMPTOMS WORSENED-A 104 DEGREE FEVER, LETHARGIC, AND LOSS OF APPETITE. WE SPOKE WITH A UVM EXTENSION RESEARCH ENTOMOLOGIST... WHO SAYS COOPERS BABY SKIN COULD EXPLAIN HIS SEVERE REACTION TO THE COCOON. SMYTHE WANTS OTHER FAMILIES TO KNOW-IF IT HAPPENED TO HER SON IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD... THE RISK IS OUT THERE. <TEACH THEM HOW TO COPE WITH THE PARTICULAR POTENTIAL DANGERS AND SO THAT THE CHILDREN CAN DEVELOP AN ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN.> <JUST WANT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S NOT A SUPER COMMON POPULAR THING HERE, BUT IT IS HERE. IT IS HERE. AND PARENTS NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF IT WITH THEIR SMALL ANIMALS AND WITH THEIR CHILDREN BECAUSE THIS CAN EASILY HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE.> TODAY-SMYTHE SAYS THE ONLY SYMPTOMS COOPER STIL
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Swanton mom cautions parents after baby gets sick from touching tussock moth cocoon
Though such severe reactions to touching the cocoons are not common, they can pose a risk to people and animals, especially younger children.
It's been a scary past several days for a Swanton family after their one-year-old son had an allergic reaction to touching a tussock moth cocoon. Treating his reaction was a complicated ordeal for the boy’s parents, who are now spreading awareness about the situation in the hopes that other children won't get sick.It took less than 48 hours for one-year-old Cooper to start showing symptoms mimicking hay fever after he grabbed the cocoon on Friday. That cocoon is about the size of a salt packet.Cooper's mom, Courtney Smythe, said it happened so quickly that she didn’t know he had grabbed it until he started screaming and crying while playing in their living room.She found fibers from the cocoon stuck to Cooper's hand, which she couldn’t remove herself.Doctors treated him with Tylenol, but by Saturday, Cooper's symptoms worsened — a 104-degree fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite.We spoke with a UVM Extension research entomologist, who said Cooper's baby skin could explain his severe reaction to the cocoon.Smythe wants other families to know if it happened to her son in their backyard, the risk is out there."Just be mindful of your kids. Make sure that you’re checking them, just like you would for ticks. Ticks are very common in our area. If you’re checking your kid for ticks, check them for hair fibers as well."Cooper’s only lasting symptom was a rash, which his mom said covered his body on Wednesday. She said she is continuing to monitor it.The entomologist wants people to know that though Cooper’s reaction is serious, but that parents shouldn’t be overly concerned. However, they do need to be aware and alert.
SWANTON, Vt. —
It's been a scary past several days for a Swanton family after their one-year-old son had an allergic reaction to touching a tussock moth cocoon.
Treating his reaction was a complicated ordeal for the boy’s parents, who are now spreading awareness about the situation in the hopes that other children won't get sick.
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It took less than 48 hours for one-year-old Cooper to start showing symptoms mimicking hay fever after he grabbed the cocoon on Friday. That cocoon is about the size of a salt packet.
Cooper's mom, Courtney Smythe, said it happened so quickly that she didn’t know he had grabbed it until he started screaming and crying while playing in their living room.
She found fibers from the cocoon stuck to Cooper's hand, which she couldn’t remove herself.
Doctors treated him with Tylenol, but by Saturday, Cooper's symptoms worsened — a 104-degree fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
We spoke with a UVM Extension research entomologist, who said Cooper's baby skin could explain his severe reaction to the cocoon.
Smythe wants other families to know if it happened to her son in their backyard, the risk is out there.
"Just be mindful of your kids. Make sure that you’re checking them, just like you would for ticks. Ticks are very common in our area. If you’re checking your kid for ticks, check them for hair fibers as well."
Cooper’s only lasting symptom was a rash, which his mom said covered his body on Wednesday. She said she is continuing to monitor it.
The entomologist wants people to know that though Cooper’s reaction is serious, but that parents shouldn’t be overly concerned. However, they do need to be aware and alert.
