Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as Kawasaki syndrome, is an acute febrile illness of unknown aetiology that primarily affects children younger than 5 years of age. Kawasaki disease is a condition that mainly affects children under the age of 5. It causes inflammation (swelling and redness) in blood vessels throughout the body.
Causes of Kawasaki Disease
The causes of Kawasaki disease isn’t fully understood, but a child may more likely to develop it if they inherit certain genes from their parents. Kawasaki disease is more common in children from North-East Asia, especially Japan and Korea.
The symptoms of Kawasaki disease are similar to those of an infection, so bacteria or a virus may be responsible. So far a bacterial or a viral cause hasn’t been identified. Kawasaki disease isn’t contagious. It can’t be passed from one person to another.
Symptoms
Usually, Kawasaki disease happens in three phases.
▪️ Phase 1 (Up to 1-2 weeks)
▪️ Phase 2 (From 2nd to 4th week)
▪️ Phase 3 (From 4th to 6th week)
Phase 1 (Up to 1-2 weeks)
These symptoms will appear suddenly and may be severe.
Fever
The most common symptom of Kawasaki disease is usually high temperature of 38C or above. Fever will usually last for at least 5 days.
Rash
Rashes can vary in appearance from child to child.
Swollen hands and feet
The skin in a child’s fingers or toes may become red and hard. Their hands and feet may swell up. The child may feel their hands and feet are tender and painful to touch.
Red eyes
The whites of the eyes become red and swollen. Both eyes are usually affected, but the condition isn’t painful.
Red, dry and cracked lips
Red and swollen tongue
Swollen lymph glands in the neck
Phase 2 (From 2nd to 4th week)
During this phase, the child’s symptoms become less severe but may last for a while. Symptoms during the second phase include,
Abdominal pain
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Feeling drowsy and lacking energy
Headache
Joint pain and swollen joints
Peeling skin on the fingers and toes (Sometimes also on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet).
Yellowing of the skin
Phase 3 (From 4th to 6th week)
Child begins to recover during the third phase of Kawasaki disease. Child’s symptoms begin to improve and eventually all signs of the illness begin to disappear. The child may still have a lack of energy and become easily tired. With proper treatment, most children with Kawasaki disease make a full recovery. But sometimes complications may develop. The complications are mainly associated with the heart.
The symptoms of Kawasaki disease can be similar to those of other conditions that cause a fever in children.
Characteristic symptoms of Kawasaki disease are,
High temperature that lasts for 5 days or more
A rash
Swollen glands in the neck
Red eyes
Dry cracked lips
Red fingers and toes
There is no single test to diagnose Kawasaki disease. But the child may have Kawasaki disease if they have,
A high temperature (fever) of 38°C or above for longer than 5 days
At least 4 key symptoms
These key symptoms are,
Conjunctival injection in both eyes: where the white of the child’s eyes are red and swollen
Changes to the mouth or throat,
- Dry
- Cracked lips
- Red and swollen tongue
Changes to the hands and feet,
- Swollen painful hands or feet
- Red or peeling skin on the palms of hands or sole of the foot
A rash
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
Most children with Kawasaki disease make full recovery. But sometimes complications related to the heart maybe develop. Kawasaki disease is not contagious and it can’t be passed from one person to another.
Treatment
Kawasaki disease is treated in the hospital as it can cause serious complications. Treatment should begin as soon as possible.
Pravindya Abeygunawardana
Shyama Ariyarathne
References
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