Ask Karen: Kawasaki Syndrome symptoms revealed

Karen McNew
WSLS 10 Anchor
Published: July 30, 2008

QUESTION: My son at the age of 22 months had Kawaski Syndrome, until then I had never heard of this. He is now 6, I still rarely hear of it. Can you give other parents a lesson on this little known child disease? The symptoms and the unusual treatment of aspirin, and let the public know what could happen if left untreated.

ANSWER: I have found that Kawasaki’s Disease is rare but can be very serious if it isn’t caught in time as it was with your son.
Carilion Clinic Chief of Pediatrics, Dr. John Moore says,” The exact cause of it is unknown, but many experts believe it is viral.”
Dr. Moore says it does not appear to be contagious and there is no one specific test that can be done to determine whether Kawasaki’s Disease is affecting your child. That is why it is important to know the signs to look for, which are: Fever that is very high (usually over 104 degrees); intensely red, bumpy rash over the body; redness and swelling; cracking of the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; red swollen lips and tongue; swollen neck glands; red, inflamed eyes; extreme irritability; stomach or joint pain and listlessness.

Dr. Moore says, “The most severe complication of Kawasaki’s disease comes later — the condition leads to inflammation of the blood vessels, most notably in the coronary arteries of the heart. In severe cases, children can be left with severely damaged coronary arteries and can develop potentially fatal aneurisms.”

Parents should be aware of any changes in their child’s health and contact his or her doctor. Dr. Moore says there is not a specific treatment for Kawasaki’s Disease but doctors usually recommend anti-inflammatory drugs to fight any inflammation in the blood vessels.

In addition to being Carilion Clinic’s Chief of Pediatrics Dr. John Moore is also a physician at Botetourt Pediatrics.