Coronation Street spoilers: Will Oliver die after mitochondrial disease diagnosis? – Metro.co.uk

(Picture: ITV)

Leanne Tilsley (Jane Danson) and Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) desperately awaited news of son Oliver in Coronation Street, after hed been admitted to hospital for a third time following as many seizures, and during tonights instalment they received word from the doctor that the young boy might have mitochondrial disease.

With the events of the previous episode having resulted in Oliver ending up in hospital once more, emotions were running high during tonights instalment.

Both the young boys parents leaned on their loved ones for support, as they awaited more news.

Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of the mitochondria, specialized compartments present in every cell of the body (except red blood cells).

Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support organ function. When they fail, less and less energy is generated within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole organ systems begin to fail.

The parts of the body, such as the heart, brain, muscles and lungs, requiring the greatest amounts of energy are the most affected.

Symptoms vary depending on the organ(s) affected but may include seizures, atypical cerebral palsy, autistic features, developmental problems, fainting and temperature instability.

According to United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, the prognosis depends upon the severity of the disease and other criteria. As more research funds are raised to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure, some of the affected children and adults are living fairly normal lives with mitochondrial disease.

In other cases, children may not be able to see, hear, talk or walk. Affected children may not survive beyond their teenage years. Adult onset can result in drastic changes from an active lifestyle to a debilitating ilness is a short amount of time.

Treatment plans vary from patient to patient but involve therapies, diet changes and other means to try and slow the progress of the disease.

You can find out more information from the NHS here.

Not long afterwards, Dr Ward (Zitta Sattar) arrived, and revealed that Olivers seizure had finally stopped.

In an effort to find out what was causing the seizures, Oliver had been sedated so that she could take him for a brain scan.

Leanne and Steve leaned on each other, and later Dr Ward returned, and revealed that the scan highlighted changes in Olivers brain, and therefore the next step is to run some genetic blood tests.

Afterwards, both Leanne and Steve headed to Dr Wards office, and while there they were informed that its possible that Oliver has mitochondrial disease.

The doctor asked them to stay off the internet while they await a definitive diagnosis, but both parents were evidently devastated by the news.

Will Oliver be okay?

Coronation Street continues Wednesday 20 May at 7:30pm on ITV.

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Coronation Street spoilers: Will Oliver die after mitochondrial disease diagnosis? - Metro.co.uk