Kawasaki Disease

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki disease causes inflammation or swelling of the blood vessels. Kawasaki disease can affect any medium-sized artery in the body but primarily affects the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are special blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen into the heart muscle. If there is a problem with the coronary arteries, the heart will not get enough blood and oxygen, making it unable to work properly.

An inflammatory disease that, among other things, affects blood vessels in the body, particularly the coronary arteries.

Diagnosis of Kawasaki disease

The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease is made when a child has at least five consecutive days of fever and at least four out of the other five symptoms mentioned above. In some cases, a child will have fewer than four symptoms. Kawasaki disease often mimics other diseases such as common childhood infections. These factors make the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease more difficult.

Kawasaki disease is a rare illness. It usually affects children under the age of five, but older children can also be affected.

Information taken from: https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=915&language=English