A mum is sharing her ordeal to warn fellow parents after her teenager’s body went into a trauma response from bullying – and she thought he was going to die.
Samantha Cameron, 47, was left fearing the worst when her son, Beau, now 13, said something was “stabbing” him in the chest.
Whisking him off to A&E, it was thought to be due to a number of illnesses; from acid reflux, appendicitis, inflammation of the chest wall and even bacterial infection, H. pylori.
READ MORE: ‘My wife thought I was constantly drunk – but it was a rare reaction to FOOD’
But then, he started suffering “agonising” pain and nausea, as well as breathing difficulties and began to withdraw from his family and friends, spending his days hiding under a blanket.
Desperate for an answer, with her son’s health rapidly declining, the mum asked for one final opinion; where he was diagnosed with pervasive arousal withdrawal syndrome (PAWS).
And she claims it all started because he was being bullied.
“My beautiful boy quickly became a stranger,” the social media expert and coach, from Northampton, told Need To Know.
“It came out of nowhere.
“At times, it was worse than having a newborn.
“One day, the school called me because he was just sitting in the corner and crying out in pain.
“I remember he didn’t open any presents on Christmas, or eat dinner.
“He became a shell of himself, only staying in his room all the time, and went non-verbal.
“As his weight plummeted, often vomiting blood, he needed a feeding tube and a wheelchair.
“I was scared we’d have to put him in a care home.
“It was heartbreaking, as I’m his mum and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help.
“I wasn’t sure what was happening, until I remembered a few months before he had been playing in the park.
“A group of kids walked up to him, that he didn’t know, and turned badly on him.
“He had been pushed to the floor, kicked and punched.
“Beau didn’t tell us, but the friends he was with did.
“He didn’t want to play anymore and became very quiet.”
The condition, which often occurs in youngsters and is brought on by trauma, causes sufferers to refuse to eat, drink, walk, talk or take care of themselves for months.
For Beau, after his diagnosis in August 2020, the family pieced things together and realised that the bullying incident was the trigger.
To help him, he was given a place at a unit to relearn the basic functions.
The family were also able to take a trip to Lanzarote – and soon enough, he returned to his old self.
She said: “I remember after a few days there, he wanted to join the kids in the swimming pool.
“It felt like a miracle.
“He then asked to eat a bit of bread, which was real progress.
“I remember the face he pulled when taking a first bite – it was unforgettable.
“The next morning, he piled his plate high with baked beans, bacon and pasta.
“From then, the feeding tube never went back in.
“By the end of the holiday, he went from being unable to walk, to scuba diving.
“It was unbelievable.”
In March 2022, he was discharged from hospital and began going back to school – by October, he was able to speak; the first time in over a year.
Now, he’s currently thriving at a special needs secondary school, but the family are hopeful for the future.
Samantha hopes to share her son’s battle to warn other parents of the signs to look out for; and to raise awareness on the impact bullying can have.
She added: “My fun, outgoing and happy boy had gone in an instant.
“I worried at one point that I’d have to become a full-time carer for the rest of my life.
“It was so depressing for a very long time.
“Now, life is still a struggle, and we’ve all had to relearn our relationships with him.
“There is a chance he could relapse, like when he gets cold, he reverts into his old ways.
“Beau doesn’t remember anything about his life before becoming ill, and he won’t talk about anything that happened.
“Create an environment where your child feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.
“But also teach them to respect others and show empathy.
“Our children learn from us, so please teach them that bullying isn’t right or acceptable.
“He’s made amazing progress, and it’s been great getting my boy back.
“He’s finally happy and is starting to make new friends.
“Yes, he’s not the son I once had, we lost him, but we so love the person he is now.”
READ MORE: ‘I battled cancer and had two stillbirths after IVF – so my COUSIN carried my baby to term’
