The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health advisory, urging doctors to watch for symptoms of a newly identified inflammatory syndrome that's been associated with coronavirus in children.
Many of the symptoms of this new disorder _ called pediatric multi-inflammatory syndrome _ mimic Kawasaki disease, and include fever, rash, cracked lips, red, irritated eyes, a bright red tongue, swollen lymph nodes, and swelling or peeling of the skin on the hands and feet.
But while Kawasaki disease is typically seen in young children up to age 6, older kids and teens appear to be developing this new condition.
It has some different symptoms, too. Some children also have gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, which are not typically seen in those who have Kawasaki disease, said Dr. Rudolph Valentini, a pediatric nephrologist who also is the Detroit Medical Center's Group Chief Medical Officer.
The syndrome can be life-threatening because it also can lead to inflammation of the heart, he said. Kids can become critically ill.
About two dozen Michigan children are believed to have developed this inflammatory syndrome. Many of those treated at Children's Hospital of Michigan have needed ventilators and the support of an artificial heart and lung machine called ECMO, according to Valentini.
More than 100 kids in New York state have been reported to have the condition, and at least three in New York have died. Cases also have been reported in children from California, Illinois, the United Kingdom and Spain.
In the advisory issued Thursday afternoon, the CDC established the criteria for classifying patients with this new syndrome. Those criteria include patients who:
Are age 21 and younger
Have severe illness that requires hospitalization
Have inflammation of at least two organs/organ systems
Have had exposure to COVID-19, have tested positive for the virus or have coronavirus antibodies
Have fever lasting at least 24 hours and laboratory evidence of inflammation
Have no other condition that may explain the patient's inflammatory response
The agency asks that cases be reported to public health authorities to help them better understand this condition. Any deaths of children from coronavirus also should be evaluated to see whether they meet the criteria for this multi-system inflammatory syndrome.
And while the advisory suggests this is potentially a pediatric condition linked to COVID-19, the CDC noted: "It is currently unknown if multisystem inflammatory syndrome is specific to children or if it also occurs in adults."
To see the full advisory, go to: https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2020/han00432.asp.
