Kawasaki Disease

KD primarily affects young children and infants. It is more common in boys than in girls. The condition is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. Although about 80 percent of patients are under 5 years of age, KD can affect older children, teenagers and adults.

The cause of KD is unknown. Some researchers believe it may be caused by a virus or bacterium. It is not contagious (passed from person to person) and does not appear to be hereditary (passed from parent to child).

Symptoms of Kawasaki disease may include:

• A high fever that lasts for at least five days and does not respond to antibiotics
• Rash, often worse in the groin area
• Red, bloodshot eyes without drainage or crusting
• Bright red, swollen and cracked lips
• A "strawberry” tongue, which appears with shiny bright red spots
• Swollen hands and feet
• Redness of the palms and soles of the feet
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Irritability or listlessness

If your child has a persistent fever and any of these symptoms, call the doctor immediately.

Diagnosis of Kawasaki Disease

There is no specific test for KD, so it can be hard to diagnose. Your child's doctor will make a diagnosis based on your child’s symptoms, a physical examination, lab tests and by ruling out other conditions. An echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to make images of the heart, may be performed to look for possible heart problems. If necessary, the doctor will do follow-up tests to check the health of the heart.