HOUSTON – A Houston man who suffered sudden paralysis at just 9 years old is now turning his childhood experience with a rare condition into a mission to help others, pursuing a career as a child neurologist.
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Houston boy suffers sudden paralysis
The backstory:
While heading to school as a fourth grader in Houston, nine-year-old Mariano Thomas experienced a sudden tingling sensation and progressive muscle weakness. Within 10 hours, he became completely paralyzed from the neck down and was rushed to Texas Children’s Hospital.
MRIs and CT scans revealed acute transverse myelitis, a neuroimmunologic condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the spinal cord, causing inflammation and lesions. Doctors suspect an asymptomatic viral infection triggered his immune response, resulting in scar tissue along his C3 through C6 cervical vertebrae.
“I woke up on a Friday morning, heading to school in fourth grade, feeling fine for the most part, but as we got closer to school, I had this sensation throughout my body like a shock with tingling everywhere. And over the next 10 hours, I became completely paralyzed from the neck down,” says Thomas. “”It turned out to be acute transverse myelitis where my immune system attacked my spinal cord, mistaken for a foreign object, leaving lesions at the C3 through C6 cervical level.”
Why you should care:
Acute transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder that can strike without warning, often following mild or symptomless viral infections. Thomas’s journey highlights the critical role pediatric specialists play in diagnosing rare autoimmune responses and guiding young patients through life-altering medical events.
From patient to medical school
Timeline:
After remaining completely paralyzed for two to three weeks, Thomas gradually regained mobility through treatment and rehabilitation.
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Years later, he attended college and majored in neuroscience to deepen his understanding of the central nervous system.
He subsequently gained admission to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, where he recently completed his first internal medicine rotation and began clinical clerkships in hospitals.
What they’re saying:
“My goal ever since diagnosis has been to become a child neurologist, using my personal experience and resilience to inspire pediatric patients and show that an obstacle doesn’t define your dream,” says Thomas. “How I was seen, treated, and valued as a patient is an experience I feel obligated to use so I can make sure I do the same thing for others.”
Thomas hopes to become a child neurologist
What’s next:
Thomas plans to finish his medical degree at Meharry Medical College and apply for residency programs in child neurology, with hopes of eventually practicing at a major pediatric hospital. He would love to one day work at the hospital that saved his life.
What you can do:
To learn more about autoimmune neurological disorders and support pediatric health research, visit the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website at https://www.ninds.nih.gov/
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