10 minute read
DISEASE
The Rare
Kawasaki Syndrome
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This is a rare disease that occurs in children below 5 years. They experience rashes on their skin and according to Kawasaki Disease Foundation, in the US there are around 4,200 children suffering from this disease every year. More boy children are victims of this syndrome. Usually, this the problem can be treated in a few days if proper attention is given. If parents or caretakers don’t attend the child, he or she can have heart diseases or the problem can reoccur.
About Kawasaki Disease
It is an inflammation in the arteries, veins, and capillaries. Besides, it makes skin rashes visible.
Mostly, this problem occurs in infants or children less than 5 years.
Causes of Kawasaki
It doesn’t spread from one person to another. It could be occurring from an infectious agent. The scientist tried working on this and they haven’t got any evidence on the causes yet.
They assume that it could be related to genes, viruses, bacteria, and a few other things that the child is surrounded by. For instance, chemicals and other pollutants.
Yet, there is no clarity on how contagious is this disease. It usually affects a group in the community. Usually happens in winter or spring.
The other risks involved with Kawasaki are as follows (i) The age factor - as
mentioned earlier, it affects children below 5. (ii) It is prone to happen with children in Asian countries. (iii) The sex factor - as mentioned earlier, it affects 1.5 times more than girls.
Symptoms Of Kawasaki
The symptoms of Kawasaki are usually seen in the
nose, mouth, and throat. This syndrome is one of the biggest reasons children suffer from heart diseases. No 1 - The child gets high fever. The following things happen.
The fever stays for more than 5 days Lymph nodes in the neck swell up
Eyes, lips, throat and tongue get red
Swelling in the hands and legs
Sometimes skin on the hands and fingers get peeled
At times rashes get formed in the entire body
If the problem gets worse and goes to stage 2, here is a list of symptoms the child experiences. Take a look! No 2 – Severe pain in the joints. No 3 – Pain in the belly. No 4 – Diarrhea and vomiting. No 5 – Heart problem for 10 days to 2 weeks after experiencing symptoms of this disease. No 6 – There could be an enlargement of the gallbladder. No 7 – Problem with hearing for a while.
or it might last for 8 weeks. Thereon, if it lasts then you need to call your doctor and let him/her know about the problems. Why wait till the last minute? In between, make it a habit to stay in touch with your doctor and update him/ her about how the child is feeling.
Usually the patient has high fever. It exceeds 103 F. Having said, it is always better to take action when the child starts experiencing symptoms.
Kawasaki Diagnosis
As the details of Kawasaki are still being studied, there isn’t a specific test that can clearly say that the child has Kawasaki. This is what the pediatrician looks at and keeps away the illness with similar symptoms. Take a look! No 1 – Bacterial infection is the reason for the fever, chills, and a sore throat. Also known as scarlet fever.
No 2 – A disease that gives joint pains and causes inflammation. Also known as Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. No 3 - The other problems could be a medical reaction, toxic shock syndrome, idiopathic juvenile arthritis, juvenile mercury poisoning, measles, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever following tests to monitor the heart. The tests done are No 1 - Echocardiograph: Pictures of the heart and arteries will be taken and this will be a painless procedure. The test will clearly show if Kawasaki has affected the heart or not. No 2 - Blood tests: Blood tests may be ordered to rule out other illnesses. In KD, there may be an elevated white blood cell count, low red blood cell count, and inflammation. No 3 - Signs of heart failure and inflammation will be checked so that the situation doesn’t get worse. Having said, a chest X-ray will be taken. There will be black and white images of the heart and lungs that will be created. No 4 – Electrocardiogram or ECG will be taken to understand the irregularities of the heart by looking through the record of all electrical activity in the heart. If the doctor sees irregularities in the ECG, it might mean that the heart is affected by KD.
Therefore, we can get clarity that the child is suffering from Kawasaki disease if he/ she is showing these major symptoms or when the child is having fever for more than 5 days.
How To Treat Kawasaki?
The best advice is that you don’t take this illness for granted. If you see all the symptoms, immediately get your child treated. If treatment is not given, it can directly affect the heart.
Therefore, look at the ways to treat Kawasaki! Here you go! No 1 - There is a chance for blood clots to form. To avoid it. Do the following things
Within ten days of the fever, infuse antibodies for 12 hours, and aspirin dosage for the next 4 days. Besides, the child will need to take small doses of aspirin for 6 to 8 weeks continuously after the fever goes away. No 2 - There is another method of treating this disease. However, it is still being researched. According to a study, adding prednisolone reduces heart damage drastically. So, you can consult your doctor if you want to give it to your child. No 3 - The faster you take your child for treatment, the better. What does another study say? Before the fifth day of the fever if a higher rate of resistance is given, nothing like it. Around 10 to 25 percent of children will have good resistance to KD.
In case there is a blocked artery or heart attack, a few children might take a while more to deal with it and get treated. If this is the case, the following things happen.
You will need to give the child an antiplatelet aspirin until the doses until the echocardiograph is normal. On a whole, it will take at least six to eight weeks for any abnormalities to get normal.
What are the complications associated with Kawasaki?
Take a look at the complications related to Kawasaki!
About 25 percent of children suffer from heart problems and mostly untreated KD is the reason a child might have a heart attack.
heart rhythm or swelling and weakness in the artery wall.
To treat KD at this stage, the child needs to take aspirin dosage for a long time. Apart from this, the child might need blood thinners, go through coronary angioplasty, coronary artery stenting, or coronary artery bypass.
Unfortunately, if a child is suffering from coronary artery problems, parents must take care of their lifestyle habits carefully. One mistake or disturbance can make them suffer from
a heart attack, obesity, or cholesterol too.
What Happens After A Child Suffers From KD?
Take a look at few things that happen to a child after he or she suffers from KD. No 1 – If diagnosed and treated on time, the child escapes heart problems and recovers. No 2 – The child might suffer from coronary artery problems. Nevertheless, half of these concerns are reducing every year. No 3 – A long term treatment is needed as the child experiences long-term heart problems. No 4 – It is rare but there are chances that KD might re-occur
To be on a safe side, it is always good if the child is taken for an ECG once in a year to ensure no heart problems.
Final Word
KD is a rare and difficult disease to deal with unless you get your child treated at the right time. Inflammation happens in the blood vessels and lymph nodes. For the most part, it affects infants and kids below the age of 5. However, it can be contracted by anyone.
In the beginning, problems such as fever, swollen hands, and strawberry tongue show up. If it moves on to stage 2, then problems such as joint pains, skin peeling, and abdominal pain occur.
It is essential to let your doctor know and start treatment before it takes a toll on your child’s heart.
The more attentively this disease is being treated, the faster it makes your child feel better.
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