A rare and life-threatening COVID19-related inflammatory syndrome is rampant in children in the US and the European Union. Children with this mysterious illness – that resembles Kawasaki Disease – show symptoms such as rashes, persistent high fever, inflammation, and loss of functioning of multiple organs such as heart, kidneys, and liver.
Data from New York City shows that out of 83 children who were admitted to the hospital with severe illness and similar symptoms, 25 tested positive for coronavirus. Besides, 23 tested positive for antibodies against COVID-19, which means that they must have contracted infection but recovered.
This has come as a surprise as well as a shock for the public health experts because, since the initial days of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been believed that children are at less risk of getting coronavirus infection. Traditionally, the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and pulmonary disorders have been considered as high-risk groups.
Therefore, while there is no cure or vaccine for coronavirus, parents should look for the warning signs of the COVID19-related inflammatory syndrome in children and rush to the hospital immediately in case of severe sickness.
Some of the symptoms that children may show include the following:
- Persistent high fever
- Rashes
- Breathlessness
- Severe sickness
- Vomiting
Such children have been reported to suffer from extreme inflammation of the gut and reduction in the functioning of multiple organs. Therefore, it becomes all the more important to seek emergency medical care and report any signs of extreme sickness in children.
References: https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-in-children-and-adolescents-with-covid-19
https://www.aappublications.org/news/2020/05/14/covid19inflammatory051420
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