5 Key Takeaways
- Nine-year-old suffered daily unexplained blackouts for five months, with multiple failed diagnoses and treatments.
- AI diagnostic tools like Glass Health and Perplexity AI rapidly analyzed the boy’s complex symptoms and medical history.
- AI identified a rare basilar artery migraine, a condition many doctors may never encounter in their careers.
- Targeted migraine therapy based on the AI-assisted diagnosis led to a complete and rapid recovery.
- The case highlights AI’s transformative potential in quickly diagnosing rare and complex medical conditions where traditional methods fall short.
How Artificial Intelligence Helped Save a 9-Year-Old Boy from Mysterious Daily Fainting Spells
Imagine being a parent and watching your child faint every single day for five months, with no warning and no clear reason. That’s exactly what happened to Manoj (name changed), a nine-year-old boy from Gurugram. His father, a carpenter, had to skip work almost daily to care for his son, who would suddenly press his ears, complain of pain, and then collapse. Despite visiting several doctors and trying all sorts of treatments, nothing seemed to help.
A Medical Mystery
Manoj’s case was puzzling. He didn’t just faint—he also had headaches, trouble speaking, and severe ear pain. Doctors ran every test they could think of. Some thought it might be epilepsy, others wondered if it was a psychological issue, or even if Manoj was pretending to avoid school. But no medication or therapy worked, and the family was desperate for answers.
A Clue from the Past
Dr. Shashidhar TB, an ENT specialist at Artemis Hospital, decided to dig deeper. He learned that Manoj had a bad viral fever and cold about four months before the fainting started. An MRI scan revealed an infection in Manoj’s inner ear, which is important for balance. This infection could have triggered a rare type of migraine that causes dizziness, headaches, and even fainting.
But there was another strange symptom: Manoj told Dr. Shashidhar that sometimes, instead of seeing the doctor’s face, he saw the face of a dog! This was a big clue. Some rare migraines, called basilar-type migraines, can cause people to see things that aren’t there (hallucinations) and even lose consciousness.
How AI Made the Difference
Diagnosing rare conditions like this usually takes months or even years. But this time, the doctors used artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Glass Health and Perplexity AI. They entered all of Manoj’s symptoms and test results into these systems. In just minutes, the AI compared Manoj’s case to millions of others and suggested a high chance of basilar artery migraine—the very rare condition Dr. Shashidhar suspected.
A Happy Ending
With this diagnosis, Manoj started the right migraine treatment. Amazingly, his fainting spells stopped within a week. A month later, he was back in school, playing sports, and living a normal life.
This story shows how AI can help doctors solve even the toughest medical mysteries, especially when rare diseases are involved. For Manoj and his family, it meant getting their lives back—and for the future, it means hope for many more families facing the unknown.
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