Kawasaki disease can look like other diseases like measles, scarlet fever, or reactions to medicines.
Is it contagious?
Because we do not know what casuses Kawasaki disease, we do not know for sure if it is contagious.
Many doctors believe it is not contagious.
Doctors have not seen a child with the disease who got it from someone else.
How is it treated?
Treatment should start within 10 days of when the symptoms began. The earlier the better.
Your child will be admitted to the hospital.
The doctor will probably give your child high doses of aspirin to:
lower the fever
help the rash
decrease the swelling and pain in the joints
keep blood clots from forming.
Your child will also be treated with medicine called intravenous immuno-globulin (IVIG). This medicine is given directly into the veins. It decreases the risk of seriously damaging the arteries in the heart (coronary arteries). It decreases the chance of blood vessel problems in the heart (coronary artery aneurysms).
Most children who get treatment recover completely.
But, it can cause long-term health problems like heart disease, arthritis, meningitis, and rarely death.
How long does it last?
Kawasaki disease can last between 2 to 12 weeks.
With treatment, most children feel better within 24 hours.
Can it be prevented?
Kawasaki disease cannot be prevented because we do not know what causes it.
When should I call the doctor?
Call your doctor if your child has any of the symptoms of Kawasaki disease.
Call your doctor if your child has a fever for more than 24 hours that does not get better with acetaminophen (such as
Tylenol, Tempra, or Panedol) or ibuprofen.
Call your doctor if you have any questions about your child's condition.
Quick Answers
Kawasaki disease is a childhood disease.
It is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children.
It causes swelling of blood vessels. Blood vessels feeding the heart (coronary arteries) are the most worrisome.
We do not know what causes it.
Children under 5 years old usually get it.
The most common symptom is a fever for more than 5 days.
Treatment usually includes hospitalization, aspirin, and intravenous immuno-globulin (IVIG).
Most children who get treatment recover completely, but it can last between 2 to 12 weeks.
It can cause long-term health problems like heart disease, arthritis, meningitis, and rarely death.
Call your doctor if your child has a fever for more than 24 hours that doesn't get better with acetaminophen (such as
Tylenol, Tempra, or Panedol) or ibuprofen.
References
American Family Physician. Kawasaki Disease. 1999 June. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://www.aafp.org/afp/990600ap/990600c.html
American Heart Association. Kawasaki Disease. 2004. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4634
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infectious Disease Information: Kawasaki Syndrome. 2003, December 16. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/kawasaki/index.htm
Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. Kawasaki Disease Fact Sheet. 2002 May. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://edcp.org/factsheets/kawasaki.html
MEDLINEplus. Kawasaki disease. 2003, October 24. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000989.htm
Taubert, Kathryn A., Stanford, Shulman T. (June 1999). Kawasaki Disease. American Family Physician. (cited 2004, March 18). URL: http://www.aafp.org/afp/990600ap/3093.html
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