Kawasaki Disease

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki disease is a rare childhood illness that affects the blood vessels. The symptoms can be severe for several days and can look scary to parents. But then most children return to normal activities.

Kawasaki disease can harm the Reference coronary arteries Opens New Window, which carry blood to the heart muscle. Most children who are treated recover from the disease without long-term problems. Your doctor will watch your child for heart problems for a few weeks to a few months after treatment.

The disease is most common in children ages 1 to 2 years and is less common in children older than age 8. It does not spread from child to child (is not contagious).

What causes Kawasaki disease?

Experts don't know what causes the disease. The disease happens most often in the late winter and early spring.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of Kawasaki disease include:

• A Reference fever Opens New Window lasting at least 5 days.
• Red eyes.
• A body rash.
• Swollen, red, cracked lips and tongue.
• Swollen, red feet and hands.
• Swollen Reference lymph nodes Opens New Window in the neck.

Get medical help right away if your child has symptoms of Kawasaki disease. Early diagnosis and treatment can often prevent future heart problems.

How is Kawasaki disease diagnosed?

Kawasaki disease can be hard to diagnose, because there is not a test for it. Your doctor may diagnose Kawasaki disease if both of these things are true:

• Your child has a fever that lasts at least 5 days.
• Your child has four of the other five symptoms listed above.

Your child may also have routine lab tests. And the doctor may order an Reference echocardiogram Opens New Window to check for heart problems.

After your child gets better, he or she will need checkups to watch for heart problems.

How is it treated?

Treatment for Kawasaki disease starts in the hospital. It may include:

• Reference Immunoglobulin Opens New Window (IVIG) medicine. This is given through a vein (intravenous, or IV) to reduce Reference inflammation Opens New Window of the blood vessels.
• Aspirin to help pain and fever and to lower the risk of blood clots.

Aspirin therapy is often continued at home. Because of the risk of Reference Reye syndrome Opens New Window, do not give aspirin to your child without talking to your doctor. If your child is exposed to or develops Reference chickenpox Opens New Window or flu (Reference influenza Opens New Window) while taking aspirin, talk with your doctor right away.

Your child may be tired and fussy, and his or her skin may be dry for a month or so. Try not to let your child get overly tired. And use skin lotion to help keep the fingers and toes moist.

If the disease causes heart problems, your child may need more treatment and follow-up tests.

How serious is Kawasaki disease?

It may be a few weeks before your child feels completely well. But most children with Kawasaki disease get better and have no long-term problems. Early treatment is important because it shortens the illness and lowers the chances of heart problems. Follow-up tests can help you and your doctor be sure that the disease did not cause any serious problems.

Some children will have damage to the coronary arteries. An artery may get too large and form an Reference aneurysm Opens New Window. Or the arteries may narrow or be at risk for blood clots. A child who has damaged coronary arteries may be more likely to have a Reference heart attack Opens New Window as a young adult. If your child is affected, know what to watch for and when to seek care.

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