In March 2024, Emmett was playing on a slide at the park when suddenly, the left side of his face and arm began twitching. His parents called 911. When asked which hospital they preferred, their response was immediate: they wanted their precious son brought here to CHOC.
We diagnosed Emmett with a rare form of brain inflammation called anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. His mother, Lyan, explains how the condition “took away his ability to walk, talk, eat, and recognize the world around him. He became psychotic and then catatonic in the span of two weeks.”
Lyan shares, “Up until then, he was a thriving, happy child. We never imagined our three-year-old could become severely sick. What followed in the next several months seemed even more unbelievable.”
CHOC doctors started Emmett on multiple rounds of immunotherapy infusions. He also received a revolving regimen of seizure and psychiatric medications, as well as blood plasma exchange. Our neurology, psychiatry, and pediatrics teams were pivotal in developing his treatment plan.
“Throughout Emmett’s stay, Dr. Janetta Arellano, his primary neurologist, was
constantly at his bedside,” Lyan remembers.
But even with our expert care, Emmett didn’t seem to be getting much better. Lyan describes how her once lively son would just “lie in his bed with a dull, blank stare, looking but not seeing. He did not talk, did not comprehend, and the only sign that he was alive were his limb spasms that sometimes became so severe, we would have to pin him down.”
By June, Emmett was medically stable and able to go home, where he slept in a hospital bed in the living room. A feeding tube gave him the nutrients he needed to survive. Time went by without significant recovery.
Leading-edge treatment
Dr. Arellano continued searching for answers, discussing several options with the family. They ultimately chose to try a new infusion, one Dr. Arellano had never prescribed before for any of her patients with Emmett’s form of encephalitis. Emmett was given this leading-edge treatment at our Dhont Family Foundation Outpatient Infusion Center, along with the other infusions he had been receiving.
Slowly, the toddler began improving. By August, Lyan recalls how Emmett “was able to sit unassisted and then stand with assistance for several seconds. His involuntary movements decreased in severity, and he finally became a candidate for rehabilitation.”
Emmett started physical, occupational, speech, and feeding therapies at CHOC’s rehabilitation center. In September, he started playing with his favorite car toys he had ignored for so long. In October, Emmett could stand unassisted and then take several steps. By November, he was saying a few words.
In time for the holidays, Lyan says, “Emmett was able to walk on his own, eat solid foods, speak bilingually, and enjoy Christmas with his baby sister and family—something we never would have dreamed possible.”
In January, his feeding tube was removed, and by February, he returned to preschool. Lyan reports her son is 90% back to his old self.
The hope now is that Emmett will make more improvements in motor function and cognition. He continues to have infusions and therapy sessions, but less and less often.
His devoted mom declares, “Thanks to the team of physicians, nurses, and therapists at CHOC—and especially to Dr. Arellano—there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Without the support of all these incredibly talented healthcare providers, Emmett undoubtedly would be lost to us.”
Emmett, his family, and other “Team Emmett” members will be taking part in our 2025 CHOC Walk in the Park, presented by Disneyland® Resort on August 3. Lyan shares, “Every dollar raised from this magical event will support healthcare programs, education, and research at CHOC. More than two million children a year depend on CHOC. And our community’s generosity is what provides access to the best possible care and services.”
This story first appeared in the July 2025 print issue of the CHOC Chronicle newsletter.
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