Today is January 26. It is a pretty awesome day. I mean, the world was graced with my presence on this day 31 years ago. So it is a pretty awesome day. But, other than it being the day of my birth, it is also Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day. What is Kawasaki Disease? Well, I will tell you.
The easiest way for me to explain what KD is is through wikipedia. So here is what Wikipedia says:
Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, lymph node syndrome, and mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an immune disease in which the medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. It is largely seen in children under five years of age. It affects many organ systems, mainly those including the blood vessels, skin mucous membranes, and lymph nodes. Its rarest but most serious effect is on the heart, where it can cause fatal coronary artery aneurysms in untreated children. Without treatment, mortality may approach 1%, usually within six weeks of onset. With treatment, the mortality rate is 0.17% in the U.S.
Often, a pre-existing viral infection may play a role in its pathogenesis. The skin, the conjunctivae of the eyes, and the mucous membranes of the mouth become red and inflamed. Swelling of the hands and feet is often seen and lymph nodes in the neck are often enlarged. A recurrent fever, often 37.8°C (100.0°F) or higher, is characteristic of the acute phase of the disease. In untreated children, the fever lasts about 10 days, but may range from five to 25 days. The disorder was first described in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan.
I could go on about signs and symptoms, but then I would be met with with several comments with “tl/dr”. Here are a few of them, the most popular: *High grade fever lasting 5 days or more *Swollen Lymph nodes in the neck *Body Rash *Red Eyes *Swollen hands and feet *Swollen, red, and cracked lips and tongue. I highly encourage you to look up the information. The problem with KD is that there is very little awareness. Almost every story of a child that suffers from KD starts with a frustrated parents searching for answers. Because so little is known, even less is understood. Right now, the long term effects of this disease are relatively unknown. There is no answer on where it comes from, or how a child contracts the disease. It can lead to serious and fatal heart problems.
The reason this is so important to me is because my nephew was diagnosed with KD in February of 2013 when he was two and on day 8 of his symptoms. After four misdiagnoses, my sister being called crazy by three different doctors, his pediatrician finally put the pieces together and realized what disease was taking over his poor body. The doctor, luckily, had seen a case 20 years prior to my nephew's case. After a week long stay at Sinai Hospital, 2 IVIG treatments, and lots of love and care, he was cured with no heart damage (that we know of yet).
That being said, I would like to ask you to help spread the awareness about KD. No child should suffer for as long as my nephew and countless other children had to suffer. No parent should be told they are crazy and feel crazy, when they KNOW that something more is wrong with their child. Please ask about KD, make sure your pediatrician is aware of the disease, can diagnose the disease, and recognize the symptoms.
I would like to thank my sister for posting this on her Facebook page today and bringing this to my attention. This is basically her status update. :)
The easiest way for me to explain what KD is is through wikipedia. So here is what Wikipedia says:
Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, lymph node syndrome, and mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an immune disease in which the medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. It is largely seen in children under five years of age. It affects many organ systems, mainly those including the blood vessels, skin mucous membranes, and lymph nodes. Its rarest but most serious effect is on the heart, where it can cause fatal coronary artery aneurysms in untreated children. Without treatment, mortality may approach 1%, usually within six weeks of onset. With treatment, the mortality rate is 0.17% in the U.S.
Often, a pre-existing viral infection may play a role in its pathogenesis. The skin, the conjunctivae of the eyes, and the mucous membranes of the mouth become red and inflamed. Swelling of the hands and feet is often seen and lymph nodes in the neck are often enlarged. A recurrent fever, often 37.8°C (100.0°F) or higher, is characteristic of the acute phase of the disease. In untreated children, the fever lasts about 10 days, but may range from five to 25 days. The disorder was first described in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan.
I could go on about signs and symptoms, but then I would be met with with several comments with “tl/dr”. Here are a few of them, the most popular: *High grade fever lasting 5 days or more *Swollen Lymph nodes in the neck *Body Rash *Red Eyes *Swollen hands and feet *Swollen, red, and cracked lips and tongue. I highly encourage you to look up the information. The problem with KD is that there is very little awareness. Almost every story of a child that suffers from KD starts with a frustrated parents searching for answers. Because so little is known, even less is understood. Right now, the long term effects of this disease are relatively unknown. There is no answer on where it comes from, or how a child contracts the disease. It can lead to serious and fatal heart problems.
The reason this is so important to me is because my nephew was diagnosed with KD in February of 2013 when he was two and on day 8 of his symptoms. After four misdiagnoses, my sister being called crazy by three different doctors, his pediatrician finally put the pieces together and realized what disease was taking over his poor body. The doctor, luckily, had seen a case 20 years prior to my nephew's case. After a week long stay at Sinai Hospital, 2 IVIG treatments, and lots of love and care, he was cured with no heart damage (that we know of yet).
That being said, I would like to ask you to help spread the awareness about KD. No child should suffer for as long as my nephew and countless other children had to suffer. No parent should be told they are crazy and feel crazy, when they KNOW that something more is wrong with their child. Please ask about KD, make sure your pediatrician is aware of the disease, can diagnose the disease, and recognize the symptoms.
I would like to thank my sister for posting this on her Facebook page today and bringing this to my attention. This is basically her status update. :)
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