Doctors reportedly thought his symptoms reflected a viral infection.
One mother said her baby son had a penny stuck in his throat for 37 days before doctors figured out what was wrong.
Samantha Knox, of Long Beach, told CBS Los Angeles that her 8-month-old son, E.J., became “listless and withdrawn” in June.
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Knox told the station that he developed a high fever and rash on his stomach but after taking him to a multiple pediatricians and visiting urgent care on several occasions, she said she was told that he had a viral infection.
“It was heart-wrenching to watch my son completely suffer,” Knox told the station.
After a little more than a month, doctors finally found the actual problem. E.J. had a penny lodged in his throat.
“When they gave me the news, I immediately started crying,” Knox said.
Knox, however, said the revelation should have come much sooner as previous doctors had taken X-rays.
“This very small object could’ve potentially been the worst outcome for my son,” Knox said.
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E.J. had to go through a surgery to get the coin removed.
Knox has started a petition to throw out any medical bills that the family accrued during their plethora of doctors’ visits.
So far the petition has more than 86,000 signatures.
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