Jamie-Lynn Sigler Reveals Son Beau Has Been Diagnosed with Autoimmune Disorder After Catching a Virus
"4 weeks ago, what seemed like a normal virus for our son, turned into a nightmare,” Sigler wrote on Instagram
Jamie Lynn Sigler/Instagram
Jamie Lynn Sigler (left) and son BeauJamie-Lynn Sigler is sharing a health update for her son Beau.
The Sopranos actress, 43, revealed on Instagram that her 10-year-old son was recently diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a rare and severe inflammatory autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system, per the National Institute of Health.
“4 weeks ago, what seemed like a normal virus for our son, turned into a nightmare,” Sigler wrote alongside a photo of the mother-son duo smiling at the camera. “Beau has what we believe to be, ADEM.”
“To say this has been hard, is an understatement, and I’ve never felt more broken…,” she added.
ADEM causes inflammation in a person’s central nervous system, which leads to symptoms like headache, confusion, weakness and numbness, per the Cleveland Clinic. According to the health center, research suggests ADEM triggers when a person’s immune system responds to a viral or bacterial threat “abnormally.”
Sigler shared that she and her son “are still very much in it” and she has been left with “so many questions and uncertainty” about the condition. She went on to tell her Instagram followers that if they had “experience with ADEM” she “would love to hear” from them.
“The doctors, nurses, and [therapists] have been INCREDIBLE here, and we have the highest of hopes for our son that he makes a full recovery, but we also know that whatever life turns into, we have a f— army around us, and we will be ok,” she said.
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While she has been dealing with her son’s condition, the actress said she has been getting support from “friends and family” who have “come to our rescue during this terrible time,” and that she has “never felt more love” from them.
“The power of love, community and prayer is so real,” she shared, before turning to thank her husband Cutter Dykstra and son Jack, 6.
Related: Jamie-Lynn Sigler Says Son Beau Inspired Her to Publicly Reveal Her Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis
“Your patience and strength during this has been unparalleled and to our other son Jack, while you are only 6, the way you just 'got it' and turned into a care taker [sic] for your brother with each hospital visit reminds me of the beauty in this world. ❤️,” she concluded the post. “Thank you for letting me share, even if I’m super ‘messy’ about it."
Beau has also had a major impact in Sigler's health journey, as she previously revealed in PEOPLE's podcast Me Becoming Mom in 2022 that he influenced her decision to speak out about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, which she was diagnosed with at 20 years old.
"When Beau was about 2½ years old, Cutter [Dykstra] and I were actually going to be getting married finally. He was getting to an age where he was very aware of my limitations. He didn't necessarily know I had something called MS, but he knew that there were things that I could and couldn't do," explained Sigler, adding that it was "primarily" her experience with Beau that impacted her decision to reveal her diagnosis.
"Because here I am as his mom trying to tell him that you can do anything you ever want and what makes you unique is special and you should never be ashamed of anything. I also felt so comfortable and settled with my family and my support system that I was confident enough to allow myself to be fully who I am," Sigler added.
Sigler's discussion about her son's diagnosis can be found on the latest episode of her MeSsy podcast with Christina Applegate, which is available on multiple platforms.
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