Focus FeaturesA teenager who was caught up in the 2017 terror attack at Manchester Arena is still bedbound more than two years later.
Ciaran Danson, now 15 years old, was not physically injured in the attack, but has since developed a disorder, which doctors believe could be related to PTSD. It causes him such severe pain he’s unable to bear anyone touching him.
Danson, from Liverpool, developed shooting and burning pains in his left leg shortly after the attack which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
Focus FeaturesThe pain spread through Danson’s body, leaving him wheelchair-bound. The teenager was later diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), which doctors say was triggered by post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ciaran is currently bedbound in hospital, having been admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
According to MailOnline, Ciaran’s condition has caused him to hallucinate about the events of May 22, 2017, he still feels pain throughout his body and can hardly bear to even hug his mum because of it.
Focus FeaturesTalking about the night of the arena attack, Ciaran’s mum Lyndsay said:
Ciaran and Tegan were both huge Ariana Grande fans and this was their first concert.
I waved them off and they were so excited. Later in the night, Ciaran called me and there was a loud noise and then the phone went dead.
The next call was from my mum and she was hysterical. They had to run through bodies on the floor, they saw very serious injuries, and it was horrific for them.
Ciaran was separated from the group in the mayhem and he fell on the floor and was trampled. My mum found him 15 minutes later and he was in a real state.
Thankfully, Ciaran, his sister and grandmother survived, but were understandably traumatised by the horrific attack.
Focus FeaturesComplex Regional Pain Syndrome is a condition which can cause extreme discomfort that does not ease up. It most commonly affects people after a previous injury, such as a broken bone, fracture or sprain, with no nerve damage.
The condition is triggered when the body reacts to the injury much more strongly than usual, often making the pain worse than the original injury.
The cause of CRPS is still unclear, though it’s believed to be connected to nerves in the affected area becoming more sensitive, even if they weren’t damaged, which can change the pain pathways between the limb and brain.
Strokes or multiple operations can trigger the condition, but in one in 10 cases there is no obvious cause.
Focus FeaturesThe only treatment for CRPS is to maintain movement of the limb or affected area though physiotherapy, occupational therapies and pain relief medication.
Lyndsay added:
It literally destroyed him. He had hallucinations about the bomber sitting on his bed and he drew pictures of him dripping in blood.
He had such bad pains in his hips and legs that he ended up in a wheelchair – and now he is bed-bound, in hospital.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this story you can speak in confidence about where to get help from Mind on 0300 123 3393, Monday to Friday 9am – 6pm.
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.