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Valley mom says daughter battling rare COVID-linked illness called MIS-C

Reanna Milliman and her daughter Raelynn
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A Valley mother says her daughter remains in the ICU, battling a rare condition linked to COVID-19 in kids.

Reanna Milliman told ABC15 her daughter Raelynn, 8, was diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, known as MIS-C.

She said an initial high fever and lethargy have turned to severe gastrointestinal issues that might require surgery.

"All she wants is answers, and I can't give that to her," Milliman said of her daughter. "So that's hard."

Milliman said her daughter first started showing symptoms on March 11, before they became more severe and ultimately put her daughter into the ICU.

"There's times where I do have to go outside of the room and cry," she said. "It's hard to see your child go through something so, so miserable."

While rare, MIS-C has been linked to some kids who previously had COVID-19, with symptoms appearing a few weeks later.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, there have been 116 total confirmed MIS-C cases across the state.

"They can get very severe," said Dr. Anthony Ani, Chief Medical Officer at Banner Children's at Desert in Mesa.

Dr. Ani told ABC15 it is important to get your child checked out if you suspect something is wrong.

"Usually fever is one of the [most common] symptoms," Dr. Ani said. "But other symptoms can range from gastrointestinal symptoms... rashes, like red eye or skin rashes."

Milliman told ABC15 she is a nursing student and had her antenna up when symptoms started to develop. She said it's unclear how long her daughter will remain in the hospital or how the condition might affect her long-term.

"I want other parents to understand the symptoms of this and how severe it is," Milliman said. "If you notice something that's off with your child, please, please just take them in if something's not right. Trust your gut as a parent."

If you would like to help, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the family. You can find more information here.