Kawasaki Disease

[roomy]

Has anyone had any experience of this horrible disease?

 

[Caligirl]

Never have, does one of your kids have it? Looks like early treatment is important....

 

[roomy]

Never have, does one of your kids have it? Looks like early treatment is important....

My grandson has been diagnosed with it, he has been in hospital for 17 days and counting.The doctors seem to know very little about it.

 

[Annie]

My grandson has been diagnosed with it, he has been in hospital for 17 days and counting.The doctors seem to know very little about it.

Roomy, I'm sorry and your grandson is now on my prayer list. Here's some info from American Heart Association:

Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki Disease

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki (KAH'wah-SAH'ke) disease is a children's illness. It's also known as Kawasaki syndrome or mucocutaneous (mu"ko-ku-TA'ne-us) lymph node syndrome. It and acute rheumatic (roo-MAT'ik) fever are the two leading causes of acquired heart disease in children in the United States.

Who gets Kawasaki disease?

About 80 percent of the people with Kawasaki disease are under age five. Children over age eight are rarely affected. The disease occurs more often among boys (over 60 percent) and among those of Asian ancestry. But it can occur in every racial and ethnic group. Over 4,000 cases of Kawasaki disease are being diagnosed annually in the United States. Less than 1 percent of those who get it die.

What happens to those with Kawasaki disease?

The symptoms of Kawasaki disease include...

fever
rash
swollen hands and feet
irritation and redness of the whites of the eyes
swollen lymph glands in the neck
irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips and throat
Doctors don't know what causes Kawasaki disease, but it doesn't seem to be hereditary or contagious. Scientists who've studied it think the evidence strongly suggests it's caused by an infectious agent such as a virus. It's very rare for more than one child in a family to develop Kawasaki disease. Less than 2 percent of children have another attack of Kawasaki disease.

In as many as 15 to 25 percent of the children with Kawasaki disease, the heart is affected. The coronary arteries or the heart muscle itself can be damaged.

How does Kawasaki disease affect the heart?

The coronary arteries are most often affected. Part of a coronary wall can be weakened and balloon (bulge out) in an aneurysm. A blood clot can form in this weakened area and block the artery, sometimes leading to a heart attack. The aneurysm can also burst, but this rarely happens.

Other changes include inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) or the sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis). Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) or abnormal functioning of some heart valves also can occur.

Usually all the heart problems go away in five or six weeks, and there's no lasting damage. Sometimes coronary artery damage persists, however.

An arrhythmia or damaged heart muscle can be detected using an electrocardiogram (EKG). An echocardiogram (or "echo") is used to look for possible damage to the heart or coronary arteries.

How is Kawasaki disease treated?

Even though the cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, certain medicines are known to help. Aspirin is often used to reduce fever, rash, joint inflammation and pain, and to help prevent blood clots from forming. Another medicine, intravenous gamma globulin, can decrease the risk of developing coronary artery abnormalities when given early in the illness.

For information about parent support groups for Kawasaki disease, contact the Kawasaki Disease Foundation.

 

[Againsheila]

Okay, that's just not fair. I thought it was a motorcycle thing and was gonna laugh, but there's nothing funny about that. I will be praying for your grandson, Roomy.

 

[Caligirl]

My grandson has been diagnosed with it, he has been in hospital for 17 days and counting.The doctors seem to know very little about it.

What are they treating him with, do you know?

 

[novabcfc]

Has anyone had any experience of this horrible disease?

Roomy,
My son was diagnosed at age 6, he has since been given a clean bill of health, unfortunatley however that is not always the case. Might I suggest you visit the following.

kdcanada.ca
kdfoundation.org
kdforum.org
kdfoundation.org.au

We too will keep your grandson in our thoughts and prays.

Chris

 

[roomy]

Thanks everyone, your kind thoughts are much appreciated.

He has on his third different antibiotic, he has had 2 courses of gamma globulin through an IVG, he has just been treated with steroids (friday night}.He is on aspirin and something to combat the side effects of it.He has had a cat scan, mri scan, lumber puncture, he has been kept hydrated and medicated at times by drip feed and he is a little pin cushion because of all the blood they have taken.He has had all the necessary heart tests and fortunately the initial tests on his heart are clear but he will be monitored for a long time to come.The doctors are having a problem stabalising his temperature and getting his bllood levels back to normal.Hopefully the steroid treatment will sort this out.They mumbled something about an experimental treatment they could try if all else fails but we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

Yesterday morning was the first morning without a temperature spike, the Doctors are looking for 3/4 days without a temp.We have our fingers crossed.

 

[roomy]

The main reason I made this post was to highlight it.It is very rare but it is also very difficuilt to diagnose.My grandson was sent home from the doctors with what he described as a virus which would run it's course.When he was taken back to the doctors with a worsening fever and stomach pains he was diagnosed with Tonsilitus and given antibiotics and sent home.Eventually my daughter in law insisted on a home visit from a Doctor who immediately called for an ambulance to take him to hospital where he was admitted and has been ever since.The Hospital did their tests and diagnosed and treated him for Scarlet Fever, the treatment had no effect and after more tests they diagnosed Kawasaki Disease and started treatment for that 12 days after he was admitted to Hospital and 19 days after he first became ill.
It is the biggest single cause of acquired heart disease in the world.Most kids are treat for a strep throat infection, the disease clears on it's own and the kid is left with heart problems that no one knows about.Someone has posted a link which describes the symptoms, you should bear in mind that atypical symptoms are pretty common.If your child has any such symptoms please make your Doctor aware of the disease.Most Doctors haven't seen it before.

 

[Ravi]

My niece had it and recovered and has been healthy since. I hope your grandson has a similar experience.

 

[editec]

Blessings on your grandson, Roomy.

 

[roomy]

Once again thanks for your support.My Grandson has been discharged from Hospital today.He has to go back on Thursday for more blood work and an Echograph on his heart.He is on the mend.

 

[chloe]

I thought the thread was going to be about the motorcycles. Im sorry to hear about your grandson and hope & pray he heals and recovers from it with no return of it.

 

[roomy]

I thought the thread was going to be about the motorcycles. Im sorry to hear about your grandson and hope & pray he heals and recovers from it with no return of it.

Thats one of the problems with this disease it has a pretty high reoccurence rate.We are hopefull and have our fingers crossed.

 

[random3434]

Thats one of the problems with this disease it has a pretty high reoccurence rate.We are hopefull and have our fingers crossed.

It's not fair when children get ill, is it? We, the adults, feel so helpless, and wish we could take their pain away from them.

I hope your little buddy gets better, he is in my thoughts and prayers roomy!

 

[catzmeow]

I will be thinking about your grandson and wishing the best for you and your family.

 

[roomy]

It's not fair when children get ill, is it? We, the adults, feel so helpless, and wish we could take their pain away from them.

I hope your little buddy gets better, he is in my thoughts and prayers roomy!

You are right Zulu and thankyou.