A Typical Kawasaki`s Disease
My daughter was diagnosed
with kawasaki disease when she was 2 and half years old. She had a fever of 105 for 8
days, the whites of her eyes got red like pink eye, the palm of the
hands and bottom of the feet were swollen and had a rash, her lips were
cherry red, swollen tongue, and rash at the torso, the fever was
consistent, but the other symptoms came and went, on day 5 they
suspected kawasaki disease when we brought her into the ER for dehydration, at the
follow up on day 7 the doctor said he thought it was still just a virus,
on day 9 I broke down and said that she had had all the symptoms and I
started crying because nothing was being done.
The doctor said he would
order a cardiogram, we went had it done and returned home. We had just
walked in the door when the phone rang and the dr. office called and
told us to get back to the hospital. Her heart had swelling, arrhythmia,
and a small aneurysm. They started the gamma globulin. I was fortunate
to have a cardio doctor who specialized in kawasaki disease and studied under DR.
Kawasaki himself. She said it is vital that the symptoms get treated by
day 10 before it starts affecting the heart. We notice improvement in
our daughter within an hour of the treatment starting. By day 4 in the
hospital she was climbing the walls again.
Our cardio doctor said the she
will need to have cardiograms every 2-3 years for the rest of her life.
All children with kawasaki disease needs to be followed because this disease is so
young and the do not know what the long term affects have on the
children as they become adults.
Right now she is fine. Doing great. But it was the scariest thing I have experienced as a parent by far.
The Dr. also told us the symptoms
for this disease have started to become more and more A typical
occurring in phases and not all at one time. But the key is the rash and
swelling of the palms and soles of the hands and feet along with the
continued high fever.
Be an advocate for you child and have them do a cardiogram, it saved my child`s life.
During this time, I found very great helpful information on pediatriconcall.com about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of kawasaki disease.
I hope it will be helpful to many others -
It is not normal for any child to have a fever for more then 7 days. That is the body`s way of telling you something is wrong.
I hope this will help anyone out there who is in doubt.
