Putnam County boy with severe burns now off ventilator but faces long recovery

Five-year-old Nathan Scott is finally off the ventilator four weeks after suffering severe burns in an accident, but he still has a long way to go in his recovery.

News4JAX is in contact with the boy’s mother, Katie Scott. She has been by his side ever since he was flown from her UF Her Health in Gainesville to Shriner Children’s Hospital in Galveston, Texas. She told News4JAX that she burst into tears when her son spoke for the first time after being taken off the ventilator, she said Nathan still struggles to speak clearly. said.

“He’s trying to talk but his throat is so sore he’s mumbling. He said no a few times. He said mama. He said daddy. I love you,” said Nathan’s mom. said. She also said she tries not to cry in front of him because she doesn’t want to scare him.

Nathan is currently receiving skin through a process called allografting.

“So, cadaver transplants. Group plantings. They haven’t started autotransplanting yet,” said Nathan’s mother.

Autograft is the process of using the patient’s own skin for a surgical reconstruction procedure. Allografts take skin and tissue from another person, which takes time to incorporate into the recipient’s body.

“When he first came here, they did the culture and he had growth from the culture, but they had to remove some of the infection before they could do the autologous transplant. They are very clean. I want it for pristine skin,” said Nathan’s mother.

Unfortunately, doctors were forced to amputate four of Nathan’s fingers on one hand and all the fingertips on the other. His mother said that before he was discharged, she and her husband would have to return to Hawthorne and renovate his house to help Nathan adjust to his new physical limitations. Told.

Nathan’s injuries are due to a freak accident on Christmas Eve. He was helping his family clear debris from their yard when a burning barrel used to burn the debris exploded. 65% of his body had severe burns. He was rushed to his UF health in Gainesville and taken to Shriner Children’s Hospital in Galveston, Texas.

His mother lost her full-time job as a nurse because she needed to be by her son’s side in Texas. Her husband and other children remained in Florida. As a result of the family being forced to rely on income from Nathan’s father, the Putnam County Fire Department A startup drive to raise money for Nathan and his family. Several companies in Putnam and Alachua counties have also stepped up to help.

“So many places have fundraising and different events for Nathan. The boot drive blew us away,” said Nathan’s mom.

Katie Scott said she and her husband are feeling a little better now that their son is off the ventilator.

“Physically yes. I got very sick from anxiety, depression and fear. I didn’t eat well and I didn’t sleep well. We’ve come together to be strong.This is scary.I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” said Nathan’s mom.