What is Kawasaki disease?
Kawasaki disease involves inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body. Most children with the disease are younger than five years old. The disease affects the mucous membranes, lymph nodes, walls of the blood vessels and the heart.
Kawasaki disease is not fully understood and the specific cause remains unknown. Factors such as the body’s response to a virus or infection and genetics may play a role in the development of Kawasaki disease.
What are the symptoms of Kawasaki disease?
The main symptom of Kawasaki disease is a fever that lasts more than five days and remains high, even after treatment with standard childhood fever medication. Other common symptoms:
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- Rash
- Red, dry, cracked lips
- Red, swollen tongue
- Irritability
- Sore throat
- Joint pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
Talk to your child’s provider if your child has a fever that lasts more than five days.
How is Kawasaki disease diagnosed?
To confirm a diagnosis of Kawasaki disease, doctors must rule out other diseases with similar symptoms. Tests and procedures may also be needed. Some of these tests include:
- Chest X-ray
- Laboratory tests
- Urinalysis
- Echocardiogram
How is Kawasaki disease treated?
Children with Kawasaki disease need to be treated at a hospital to prevent complications and damage to the coronary arteries. The main treatment for Kawasaki disease is medicine. The goals of treatment include reducing fever and inflammation and preventing the disease from affecting coronary arteries. The standard treatment is high-dose aspirin and immune globulin. Immune globulin is a medicine given through an IV, or intravenously. Most children treated for Kawasaki disease will not need additional treatment.
