children s health issues
Kawasaki Disease
Introduction
Kawasaki disease causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body. The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown but may be associated with an infection. Children typically have fever, rash, and a red strawberry tongue, and some develop heart complications that rarely can be fatal. The diagnosis is based on established criteria. With prompt treatment, nearly all children recover. Children are given high doses of immune globulin andaspirin. Kawasaki disease causes inflammation in the walls of blood vessels ( Overview of Vasculitis ) throughout the body. Inflammation of blood vessels in the heart causes the most serious problems. The inflammation also can spread to other parts of the body such as the pancreas and kidneys. Most children with Kawasaki disease are between 1 and 5 years of age, although infants and older children and adolescents can be affected. Roughly one and one half times as many boys as girls are affected. The illness is more common among children of Japanese descent. Several thousand cases of Kawasaki disease are estimated to occur in the United States every year. Kawasaki disease occurs year-round but most often in spring or winter. The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, but evidence suggests a virus or other infectious organism triggers an abnormal immune system response in genetically predisposed children. 