The Link Between COVID-19 and Kawasaki Disease
COVID-19 IS APPEARING AS A TRIGGER TO A KAWASAKI LIKE SYNDROME THAT IS CAUSING TOXIC SHOCK & CARDIAC ARREST IN CHILDREN. NOW NAMED AS PIMS DISORDER (PAEDIATRIC INFLAMMATORY MULTI ORGAN SYNDROME) OVER 40 CHILDREN SEEN WITH THE CONDITION THAT PRESENTS ITSELF IN ITS SEVERITY AFFECTING ALL THE ORGANS COMPARED TO CLASSIC KD. KAWASAKI DISEASE IS A GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TRIGGERED WHEN THE CHILD COMES INTO CONTACT WITH AN AGENT CAUSING INFLAMMATION & IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE HEART IF NOT DIAGNOSED WITHIN 4 DAYS.
The Hunt to Understand COVID-19's Connection to Kawasaki Disease
"Unusual numbers of children and teenagers living in COVID-19 hotspots like Lombardy, Italy and New York City have developed an inflammatory condition (officially called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C) that looks a lot like Kawasaki disease. In many cases, the children have also tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, suggesting the syndrome followed a viral infection.
Dr. Jane C. Burns has studied Kawasaki disease for four decades. Burns says it’s possible that SARS-CoV-2 affects Kawasaki-prone children differently, depending on their unique genetic blueprints. Some could clear a SARS-CoV-2 infection without any inflammatory response. Others could go on to develop Kawasaki-like illness, while still others might exhibit an inflammatory response slightly different than Kawasaki disease.
Nevertheless, parents should not wait to seek medical attention if they see any symptoms of Kawasaki disease in their children, Burns says. With prompt treatment, most children should recover well, she says."
Source: Time Magazine
MAY 27, 2020 8:00 AM EDT
Parent Guide
For further details about the following, consult our Parent Guide:
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What is Kawasaki Disease?
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What causes Kawasaki Disease?
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What are the signs and symptoms of Kawasaki Disease?
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How does a doctor determine if a child has Kawasaki Disease?
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What is Kawasaki Disease treatment?
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What are the consequences of the disease is not properly treated?
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Are there any complications associated with Kawasaki Disease?
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What can I expect once my child comes home from the hospital?
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Can my child contract this disease again in the future?
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Can Kawasaki Disease be prevented?
KD Signs and Symptoms
A fever that last 5+ days plus:
Usually on the neck.
Kawasaki Disease mostly strikes children under the age of five presenting itself with at least three of six symptoms. This disease can cause serious damage to the heart leading to heart attack if left untreated. Kawasaki Disease is now known to be the leading cause of coronary heart disease in children that affects adult life. It is also suspected to be the primary cause of death by unexplained heart failure in children and young adults. Such cases are on the increase and are believed to be partly hereditary, which poses a 10% chance of being passed onto offspring.
If your child has 3 or more of the above symptoms for more than 4 days, ask the doctor for a heart scan by a paediatric cardiologist!
For further information, please contact the Kawasaki Disease Specialists.
Professor Micheal Levine Tel: +44 (0)20-7594-3760 / Email: m.levin@imperial.ac.uk
Dr. Jane Burns Tel: +1- 858-246-0155 / Email: jcburns@ucsd.edu
Join the Support Groups
UK Support Group: www.kssg.org.uk
Helpline Email: helpline@kssg.org.uk
National Help Line: 02476 612178
The founder Dee Izmail set up this charity in 1997 to help other families get a prompt diagnosis for their children after her daughter was misdiagnosed and left with damage to her heart in 1992.
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