“We thought Minecraft was making our son ill - but he had rare and deadly disease"
- 13 days ago
A boy has been told his “next seizure could be his last” - after being diagnosed with one of the world’s rarest deadly diseases.
William Howard, nine, was told by doctors his initial symptom, a twitch in his right leg, could be down to stress from playing Minecraft.
But after “endless” medical investigations, an MRI confirmed he has mitochondrial disease - which means his cells won’t work correctly.
He is one of 10 people in the world who have his particular variation - DNML-1.
His parents, Simon, 45, and Mihaela, 43, say he went from a normal, healthy little boy to paralysed by seizures, seemingly overnight.
And they’re having to take each day as it comes - never knowing whether it could be their last with William.
William Howard, nine, was told by doctors his initial symptom, a twitch in his right leg, could be down to stress from playing Minecraft.
But after “endless” medical investigations, an MRI confirmed he has mitochondrial disease - which means his cells won’t work correctly.
He is one of 10 people in the world who have his particular variation - DNML-1.
His parents, Simon, 45, and Mihaela, 43, say he went from a normal, healthy little boy to paralysed by seizures, seemingly overnight.
And they’re having to take each day as it comes - never knowing whether it could be their last with William.