Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki Disease

Also known as Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome, Kawasaki disease is a poorly understood acquired heart disease that mostly affects children under five years of age, and it rarely occurs in children over the age of eight. It is a condition that causes inflammation in the walls of small- and medium-sized arteries throughout the body, including the coronary arteries.

It was identified by a Japanese doctor, Tomisaku Kawasaki, in 1967, and Kawasaki disease occurs more often in boys than girls, and most commonly in children of Japanese or Korean descent, although any child can get it. It can cause serious complications of the heart and the blood vessels that supply the heart. It is not preventable, but it is treatable in most cases. Some of it’s symptoms: Fever, rash, hand/feet swelling, inflammation of lips, mouth and throat.

Heart complications may include: Heart complications include: Vasculitis, myocarditis, arrhythmia, and pericarditis. See your doctor if your child has any of these symptoms.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Comments

6 Comments so far

pericarditis | 17 May 2008, 21:41
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Jett Travolta’s Death Sheds Light on Kawasaki Disease at MyDocHub Blog - Online Health Community | 06 January 2009, 09:09
[...] autopsy, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at the age of 2. You can read more about my post on Kawasaki disease. Doctor WatchDog Notification ServiceShare This Sphere [...]
Anonymous | 28 January 2010, 06:09
The cause is not known. Microorganisms and toxins have been suspected, but none has been identified to date. Genetic factors and the immune system may play a role.
Kawasaki Disease | Trends Pics | 21 March 2011, 00:00
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Jett Travolta’s Death Sheds Light on Kawasaki Disease | MyDocHub -Health Blog, Weight Loss Tips | Celebrity Plastic Surgery | 06 September 2011, 20:50
[...] The untimely death of Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of Hollywood film stars John Travolta and Kelly Preston, sheds light on a poorly understood acquired heart disease that mostly affects children under five years of age, and rarely occurs in children over the age of eight. Though we don’t know the cause of his death, pending the results of an autopsy, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at the age of 2. You can read more about my post on Kawasaki disease. [...]