Main Signs and Symptoms of Kawasaki Syndrome

Kawasaki disease (KD), also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome is an illness that causes inflammation, swelling in arteries, capillaries, and veins. It primarily affects children. It infects lymph nodes and induces symptoms in your mouth, nose, and throat. The inflammation affects coronary arteries that supply blood to our heart muscle.

Common symptoms of Kawasaki syndrome are high fever, peeling skin. The great news is Kawasaki disease is curable and children with Kawasaki disease recover without any severe health problems.

Main Symptoms of Kawasaki Syndrome

Kawasaki disease occurs in stages, and symptoms appear in phases during spring and late winter.

Early Stage

These symptoms and signs continue for two weeks. They involve

• Severe fever ( higher than 102.2 F) that lasts more than five days
• Rashes on the groin and torso
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Reddish and swollen lips
• Bloodshot eyes without crusting
• Tongue with shiny and bright red spots
• Hands and feet with inflammation
• Soles of the feet and red palms
• During the time heart problems may occur.
• Irritability

Final Stage

In the second stage, children may develop-

• Skin peeling on the feet and hands, particularly the tips of toes and fingers.
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Joint pain
• Vomiting
• Enlarged gallbladder
• Interim hearing loss

When to Visit the Doctor

If your child experiences these symptoms and signs and they last for more than five days, then you should take your child to the doctor. Most children with this syndrome recover completely when they are treated at an early stage. Children who develop heart problems because of Kawasaki disease require more testing and must-visit a cardiologist.

Treatment 

To avoid the complications of Kawasaki disease, the doctor will start the treatment as soon as possible because your child may suffer from fever. The main object of primary treatment is to reduce or lower the inflammation, cure fever, and also prevent heart damage.

Kawasaki treatment involves an infusion of antibodies called intravenous immunoglobulin for less than 10 days of the fever. They provide a daily dosage of aspirin for four days. Children also need to take a lower dose of aspirin for 6-8 weeks after being cured of fever to prevent the formation of blood clots.

Some children require treatment for a longer time to prevent a heart problem or blocked artery. The treatment requires a longer time that involves antiplatelet aspirin doses until echocardiograph becomes normal.

We hope you have discovered the main symptoms of Kawasaki syndrome to prevent your children from the risks of heart disease.