About this topic
Kawasaki disease is a rare health problem in which there is swelling of certain blood vessels. This affects young children and infants and doctors do not know what causes it. It is not spread person to person. Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of heart problems in children, but these are less likely to happen if the disease is treated. With this illness children often have: ‚
- Fever lasting longer than 5 days
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck under the chin
- A red rash on the body and private area
- Chapped, cracked lips
- Reddened whites of the eye
- Reddened and swollen soles of the feet and palms of the hands
- Swollen red tongue
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- Your child may need to follow up with a heart doctor.
- Talk to the doctor about vaccines for your child. You may have to wait for certain shots if your child was given IVIG to treat the Kawasaki disease.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Most children need an echocardiogram. This is a test to see how well your child's heart is working. The doctor may also want to check blood tests. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
Most of the time, your child will be encouraged to exercise to maintain a healthy heart. Talk to the doctor about the right amount of activity for your child. There may be some restrictions with certain sports. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
Follow a healthy diet. Your doctor will tell you if any changes are needed in your childs diet. ‚
What problems could happen?
Most children who have the disease usually recover within weeks of getting signs. Problems with the blood vessels around the heart may develop. These are aneurysms, which are dilated blood vessels. Children with aneurysms are at increased risk of heart attack. The risk is greatest 6 to 12 months after diagnosis, but may last into adulthood. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
This problem cannot be prevented. It should be treated as soon as possible. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Severe chest pain.
- Shortness of breath.
- High fever that does not come down even when drugs are taken.
- Your child is not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or is feeling worse.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my child's drugs or activities.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has chest pain, feels short of breath, or has a fever.
Where can I learn more?
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/kd/ ‚
National Organization for Rare Diseases ‚
http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/186/viewFullReport ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/kawasaki.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚