A four-year-old Ohio girl, Locklynn Boler, is facing a life-altering medical battle after what began as common flu symptoms led to severe complications, including cardiac arrest and significant brain damage, the Daily Mail reports.
Locklynn and her two siblings were diagnosed with Influenza A on February 21 after visiting a local urgent care. However, while her siblings began recovering, Locklynn’s condition rapidly deteriorated. The following day, she experienced difficulty breathing, prompting her parents to seek medical attention. She was treated at a hospital and sent home with medication and a nebulizer.
Despite the initial treatment, her health declined further. In the early hours of February 24, Locklynn collapsed while heading to the bathroom and became unresponsive. Her mother and aunt immediately administered CPR while her father rushed her to a nearby hospital. Upon arrival, she went into cardiac arrest, and medical staff performed three rounds of CPR before regaining a pulse.
Locklynn was then airlifted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where doctors conducted tests to assess her condition. An MRI later revealed that the lack of oxygen during the cardiac arrest resulted in severe brain damage, leading doctors to inform the family that she may never walk, talk, or eat on her own again.
Her father, Brad Boler, described the situation as a “nightmare” and expressed the emotional toll of seeing his daughter in such a critical state. Despite the prognosis, Locklynn has since woken up from a coma and briefly breathed on her own before requiring ventilator support once more.
The family remains hopeful but is taking her recovery “day by day, hour by hour.” They have launched a GoFundMe campaign and are selling “Locklynn Strong” T-shirts to help cover medical expenses.
Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious disease specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, emphasized the severity of this flu season and encouraged parents to seek medical care if their children experience labored breathing, difficulty eating or drinking, or unusual behavior. He also noted that it is not too late to get a flu shot, which can help reduce the risk of severe complications.
