28.01.2026 15:22
7-year-old Kaan Ege Aydoğdu, who was diagnosed with the "Boca virus" at a hospital he visited for flu complaints at the age of 3, has been living bedridden for 4 years. His mother stated that her son had a normal development until the age of 3 and suddenly woke up one morning with breathing difficulties, saying, "There were oversights because we did not recognize the symptoms of the virus. My son lost his ability to walk and speak during the 18-day intensive care process."
The life of the Aydoğdu family living in Antalya changed 4 years ago when their little son Kaan Ege was hospitalized due to respiratory distress. The small child, whom his family thought had the flu, was found to have contracted the Boca virus in tests conducted at the hospital, and it was determined that the virus had affected his lungs.
THE VIRUS PROGRESSED, HEART STOPPED TWICE
As Kaan was transferred to a more equipped hospital and intubated, his condition worsened, and the virus spread to his heart. Kaan's heart stopped twice for a total of 15 minutes, but he was revived through the intense efforts of the doctors, although he became bedridden due to the damage to his brain.
The family of 7-year-old Kaan Ege, who was told by doctors that he would not be able to walk, speak, or live independently for the rest of his life, did not give up the fight for their son to return to the days when he could run and play like before. Mother Sabahat Aydoğdu did everything she could for her son's treatment through research in addition to the opportunities provided by the state over the past 4 years.
EVERYTHING CHANGED IN A DAY
Sabahat Aydoğdu, who explained that her son had a normal development like other children until he was 3 years old, spoke about how the difficult process began one morning when her son woke up with respiratory distress, saying, "Kaan Ege is 7 years old. He was a child with normal development who could walk until he was 3 years old. One day he woke up with respiratory distress. He was urgently transferred to another hospital, and we learned there that he had the Boca virus. The virus directly jumps to the lungs and causes respiratory distress. For this reason, my son was intubated," she said.
SYMPTOMS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE FLU
Pointing out that the symptoms of the virus can be confused with the flu, Aydoğdu stated that this situation led to negligence, saying, "There were oversights because we did not know the symptoms of the virus. My son stayed in intensive care for 18 days. During this process, he lost his ability to walk and speak," she said.
Aydoğdu expressed that they have been going through a challenging treatment process for four years, saying, "He is receiving physical therapy and nutrition sessions. At one point, he had a tube in his stomach, but it has now been removed, and he is being fed orally."
Emphasizing that the virus should not be seen as a simple flu, Aydoğdu stated, "It should not be confused with normal flu. The symptoms are similar, but it closes the lungs and can lead to heart failure. I want families to be aware," she said.
"HE COULDN'T EVEN MAKE A SOUND, NOW HE SAYS 'MOM'"
Mother Aydoğdu, who stated that her son's development continues, added that they are hopeful, saying, "They told us, 'He will never walk, he can't eat or drink anything,' but my son receives physical therapy for 2 hours a week. He can now sit with support and take steps. His perceptions have greatly increased. I am getting him special education. He couldn't even make a sound, now he says 'Mom.' I believe that with good treatment, he will reach better places," she said.