Jayden's Story: Rare Influenza Complication Leads to Lifesaving Neurological Care, Recovery

When Jayden Junkin began feeling sick, she assumed she had caught the same illness that had been spreading among the children at her workplace. A visit to the doctor confirmed she had Influenza B, but even with medication, her fever continued to rise. 

By the end of the week, Jayden was severely dehydrated and showed no signs of improvement. She and her mother, Madeleine, decided to visit the Emergency Department at WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center. 

They expected Jayden would receive fluids and eventually return home, but while receiving treatment, Jayden experienced a seizure. 

“I woke up, and I was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU),” Jayden said.

Because Jayden had never experienced a seizure before, the sudden change was frightening for her family. She was placed on a ventilator while her care team performed extensive testing to determine what had caused her condition. 

Initial imaging did not reveal an answer. Jayden remained extremely drowsy and unresponsive for longer than expected, prompting her physicians to conduct additional testing. A second MRI eventually showed inflammation affecting her brain, also called Influenza Associated Encephalopathy, which is an extremely rare neurological complication associated with Influenza B. 

“The flu oftentimes can be a mild viral illness; however, in Jayden’s case, it was not,” said Omer Naveed, MD, of the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. “With prompt neurological workup available to us at Berkeley Medical Center, we were able to identify a very rare phenomenon caused by the Influenza B virus and intervene early, resulting in an excellent outcome.” 

Jayden received steroids to reduce inflammation. By the following day, she was awake, alert and asking for breakfast. Although she initially had difficulty moving her left hand and leg, her strength gradually began to return. 

“Had we not treated her with steroids early on, she would have likely had life-long complications,” Dr. Naveed added. 

After nearly three days in the ICU, Jayden was transferred to a regular hospital room. Physical therapists helped her begin walking again, and her care team encouraged her to slowly return to her normal activities as her recovery continued. 

Within a few weeks, Jayden was spending time with friends and had returned to work on a limited schedule. She continued follow-up care with the neurology team and underwent additional imaging and testing to monitor her recovery. 

For Jayden and her family, having specialized neurological care available nearby made an already frightening experience easier to navigate. With Berkeley Medical Center only 15 minutes from their home, they were able to receive care without traveling hours away. 

“Having it so nearby and not having to drive the two hours and 30 minutes to Morgantown was really helpful,” Jayden said. 

Madeleine remains grateful that they decided not to wait until morning to seek emergency care. 

“I thank God that we were in the emergency room,” she said. “Who knows what could have happened?” 

Learn more about Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute Neurology here: Neurology | WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute