Introduction
Kawasaki disease is a very dangerous disease that causes the blood vessels to become inflamed (swelling). This disease mostly affects young children. This is also one of the major causes of a heart attack in kids of a very young age. It is curable if you detect its presence at an early stage.
The main purpose of writing this article is to help you to get some idea about this deadly disease. It can cause great harm to you and your children. We are providing information like remedies and what type of complication that this disease can cause.
If you want to save your kid's life from the deadly grasp of this disease then you should start treatment as early as possible. Use this knowledge to fight this disease to ensure a healthy life for you and your family.
Causes
The real cause of Kawasaki disease is still not clear among the researchers. But it seems that this disease mostly affects children of Asian descent. According to some research, there is no fixed reason behind the occurrence of this disease. But some speculate that it can be caused due to a mixture of genetics and environmental factors.
Symptoms
The symptoms of Kawasaki disease are divided into 3 phases.
First Phase
In the first phase, the person has a fever that is often higher than 102.2 F(39C) and lasts for more than 3 days
- The eyes become extremely red without thick discharge
- There are some rashes on the genital area and the other body parts.
- The tongue is swollen and the lips become red, dry and cracked
- The soles of feet and palms of hands become swollen and red
- The person will suffer from irritability
Second Phase
- Skin peeling occurs on the tips of fingers and toes
- It is common to have joint pain in phase 2 of this disease
- Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in the 2nd phase of this disease
Third Phase
In the third phase of this disease, the symptoms go away slowly. But then the complication may start.
- There are swollen lymph nodes
- Redness in both eyes
- Red swollen tongue
- Peeling of skin
- Rashes on the body
Medical Complications
The major complication that occurs in this disease is the effect on children's hearts. There are several complications that last forever in some children.
- There is inflammation in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart
- There is inflammation in the muscle of the heart
- There is a problem in the valve of the heart
Inflammation in the coronary arteries can cause bulging of artery walls. This bulging of artery walls increases the risk of blood clots and causes a life-threatening bleeding condition. This deadly life-threatening condition is known as coronary artery aneurysm.
Treatments and Remedies
For good health, you should take your kid to the doctor and start the treatment as soon as possible. If you start the initial treatment early then there is a low risk of fever, inflammation and you can also prevent heart damage.
Treatments included for Kawasaki disease
1. Gamma Globulin
In this process of treatment, there is an infusion of immune protein (gamma globulin) through the vein that can help to lower the risk of coronary artery problems.
2. Aspirin
For the treatment of Kawasaki disease, we can use a high dose of aspirin. It is effective in decreasing the pain and inflammation caused in the joint. It also helps to reduce fever.
This treatment for Kawasaki disease is rare since it is well known that aspirin shouldn't be given to children. But in the case of Kawasaki disease, this rule is not followed. You should only give aspirin to children with the supervision of a doctor.
Procedure After Initial Treatment
The procedure after the initial treatment of Kawasaki disease may be a little messy. After the initial treatment, the fever goes down then the child may need to go for a low dose of aspirin for at least six weeks.
At that time of the procedure, the kid may develop coronary artery aneurysms. The use of aspirin helps to prevent blood clotting.
There are times when the kid may develop flu or chickenpox during the treatment, then the kid may need to stop taking aspirin. With the treatment going on your kid must feel well but the toll it takes on the heart will take a longer time to heal.
Monitor Heart Problems
If after the treatment your child is still facing heart-related problems, then you should consult with a pediatric cardiologist. The treatment of the heart depends on the condition of the heart. If your kid is having coronary artery aneurysm ruptures then the treatment may consist of anticoagulant drugs or even bypass surgery.
Conclusion
This article has been written for the welfare and good health for everyone. After reading this article you would have gained much information about Kawasaki disease. This article provides information regarding some remedies and complications that happen during this disease.
We know that there are various types of diseases that we are not completely aware of. Most people have not even heard about Kawasaki disease.
The major impact of this disease is on the heart and this can cause death due to heart failure. That’s why we are providing proper guidance to you so you don’t need to fear this deadly disease. There are treatments available to deal with it. We have mentioned some of it above. Take the necessary action when you face any similar situations and save precious lives.
It is better to be careful a thousand times than once dead