Delaware County family says vaping caused son's lung failure
PHILADELPHIA - A Delaware County family says their college-aged son's vaping habit landed him in the intensive care unit with the possibility of needing a double lung transplant.
"He was coughing violently enough that he was throwing up. In the morning, he didn’t look good. His color was like gray. I ran him to the urgent care and they did an X-ray." Debbie Boclair told FOX 29.
Debbie says Kevin admitted he resumed vaping after quitting once. Doctors suspect that his lung failure is a result of vaping.
"He did quit but then he went back to it for the flavor, but then he started the nicotine one and he got hooked on that," Debbie said.
Public health officials are warning against using e-cigarettes and other vaping products after a surge in mysterious respiratory illnesses that have been linked back to vaping.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an advisory that "includes the recommendation that while this investigation is ongoing, if you are concerned about these specific health risks, consider refraining from the use of e-cigarette products" following the spike in illnesses.
The advisory, which was issued this past Friday, notes that as of Aug. 27, there were 215 possible cases from 25 states of lung disease which may be tied to vaping.
"We have seen over 200 cases of serious lung injury, one death and people on ventilators," Dr. Mike Cirigliano explained to FOX 29. "Anything that is vaporized whether it be smoke, cigarettes, vaping in any way, in my opinion, it is not something you want to be doing," Dr. Cirigliano said.
Kevin would have started his sophomore year at Bloomsburg. But now, his parents are left with uncertainty. The family hopes to warn others about the dangers of vaping.
"No parent should have to walk into a hospital room and see their son having his blood sucked out of one leg with five tubes down his throat, looking dead," Len said.
FOX News contributed to this report.