sease are under age 5. The average age child seen with the illness is 2 years old. It occurs in boys twice as often as in girls.
What causes Kawasaki disease?
It is not clear what causes Kawasaki disease. Scientists believe a virus may be responsible, but current research is still underway. Kawasaki disease does not appear to be contagious, nor does it appear to be hereditary. It was once thought that Kawasaki disease was linked to recent rug or carpet cleaning; however, no studies have shown this to be a cause of the disease.
It is rare for more than one child in a family to develop the disease. Less than 2 percent of persons with Kawasaki disease develop the disease more than once.
Why is Kawasaki disease a concern?
Kawasaki disease can be a very uncomfortable illness, since it causes fever, as well as irritation and inflammation in many tissues of the body. However, these symptoms usually run their course and resolve within a few weeks. The primary concern with Kawasaki disease is heart and blood vessel involvement.
The coronary arteries are the vessels that provide the heart muscle with an oxygen-rich blood supply. Kawasaki disease can weaken the wall of one or more of the coronary arteries, causing it to bulge or balloon out. This weakened, ballooned area is called an aneurysm.
Blood clots can form in the ballooned area and possibly block the blood flow through the coronary artery. When this happens, the heart muscle will no longer receive an adequate supply of oxygen-rich (red) blood, and the heart muscle can be damaged.
The illness may also cause the heart muscle (myocardium) to be irritated and inflamed, as well as the membrane covering the heart (pericardium). Irregular heart rhythms and heart valve problems may also occur with Kawasaki disease.
In most cases, the effects on the heart caused by Kawasaki disease are temporary, and resolve within five or six weeks. However, coronary artery problems may sometimes persist for longer periods of time.
What are the symptoms of Kawasaki disease?
The following are the most common symptoms of Kawasaki disease. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
- moderate to high fever (101° F to 104° F) that rises and falls for at least 5 days and up to three weeks
- swollen lymph glands in the neck
- rash on the back, chest, abdomen, and/or groin
- bloodshot eyes
- sensitivity to light
- swollen, coated tongue
- dry, red, cracked lips
- dark red interior surfaces of the mouth
- red, swollen palms of hands and soles of feet
- peeling skin around the nailbeds, hands, or feet
- swollen, painful joints
The symptoms of Kawasaki disease may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis.
How is Kawasaki disease diagnosed?
Your child's physician will obtain a medical history, and perform a physical examination. At least 5 days of fever and several of the above mentioned symptoms need to be present for your child's physician to consider Kawasaki's disease as the cause for the illness.
Diagnostic tests may also include:
- electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) - a test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias or dysrhythmias), and detects heart muscle damage.
- echocardiogram (echo) - a procedure that evaluates the structure and function of the heart by using sound waves recorded on an electronic sensor that produce a moving picture of the heart and heart valves.
- x-ray - a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
- complete blood count (CBC) - a measurement of size, number, and maturity of different blood cells in a specific volume of blood. The physician will look for an elevation in the numbers of white blood cells which normally multiply in the presence of infection and may notice elevated platelet levels with Kawasaki disease as well.
- erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate) - a blood test that measures the amount of inflammation going on in the body. Thi