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Report: Four-year-old Iowa girl suffers brain damage while fighting flu

This little girl first told her parents she wasn’t feeling well back on Christmas Eve. The next two weeks were spent in the hospital, her family by her s...

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- A family's optimism is growing as they've seen their four-year-old daughter recover from a strain of the flu.

Jade Delucia first told her parents she wasn't feeling well on Christmas Eve, according to a report by WIBW. The next day she was unresponsive.  She was taken to a local hospital, where she was having seizures; she was then flown to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

Jade's grandmother said tests revealed that Jade had contracted Influenza B, according to the report. The flu had gotten into her lungs and an MRI showed that she sustained extensive brain damage.

As 2019 turned into 2020, Jade remained hooked up to machines, only opening her eyes days after the first of the year.  Her parents have stayed by her side during her recovery, forcing them to take time off work.  According to the report, a GoFundMe that has raised more than $6,800 have helped with the family's medical expenses.

In their household, they've held off on celebrating Christmas, waiting until Jade can take part in the celebration, flu-free.

The little girl's mother is now encouraging people to take their kids to the doctor for an influenza test if they're sick for more than 24 hours.

In early January the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 27 children in the country had died from the flu this season. That's the highest number of child flu deaths since the CDC started keeping records 17 years ago.

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