There have been many reports of a weird illness that has been infecting children and young people following the winter holiday season. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a rare but serious disease in children linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some cases reported having a high fever and inflammatory syndrome that caused children's lives. Doctors are still unsure of what caused the MIS-C but noted that usually, kids with the illness reported having COVID-19 first, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
But those who develop MIS-C later on experience and inflammation in different parts of their body that could be serious. According to CNN, doctors in children's hospitals have reported rising cases of the illness with an update from the US CDC that cases have already reached 2,617 in the country before March 1, while 33 children have already died.
Link Between COVID-19 and MIS-C
Hospitals said that most recent MIS-C cases have previously tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating that the patient has a previous infection, but some patients also have an active coronavirus infection.
The link between COVID-19 and MIS-C is not well understood but doctors are trying to learn if some children are at risk. As more patients are now very sick than during the first wave of cases, it is alarming both the doctors and the patients.
However, AAP said that most children so far who have been diagnosed with MIS-C have recovered after getting medical care.
In a nationwide study entitled "Long-Term Outcomes after the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children" by Dr. Jane Newburger, associate chief for academic affairs in the cardiology department of Boston's Children's Hospital, researchers found that patients with obesity and older children seem to fare worse.
Moreover, experts believe that socioeconomic and other factors have disproportionately exposed some communities to the virus, wherein around 69% of the reported cases are Latino and Black young people. The New York Times reported that early cases were usually from children of Latino parents working in the meatpacking industry.
Symptoms of MIS-C
According to healthychildren.org, children with MIS-C reports having a fever and inflammation in their bodies. MIS-C could also have similar symptoms as other rare childhood illnesses like the Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. Also, children were reportedly having thrombosis (blood clots), poor heart function, and kidney injury.
Those infected by this rare disease are very ill for 24 hours or more and could have problems with their organs, like the heart, brain, lungs, skin, kidneys, and intestines.
Doctors advise that if parents have noticed any of the following symptoms, they should immediately contact their children's pediatrician:
- fever spiking at 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit that could last for 24 hours or more
- stomach ache, diarrhea, or vomiting
- bloodshot eyes
- rashes or changes in skin color
- neck pain
- tiredness
- shortness of breath
- chest pains that do not go away
- confusion
- unable to stay awake or failing to wake up
- lips and faces turning blue
In reporting, make sure that the child's doctor or emergency care providers know if the child has tested positive for COVID-19 or has encountered someone who has the virus within four weeks.
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