A 2-year-old boy has died of a rare disease with flu-like symptoms in Bristol, UK. Hudson Martin collapsed on the stairs of his home while playing on January 8. The paramedics spent over an hour trying to restart his heart, however, their efforts went in vain. The child was pronounced dead. Hudson was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease when he was just seven months old. Hudson's dad, Damien, said, "You'd never know anything was wrong from pictures or videos."
Damien, speaking to Bristol Live, recalled the weeks before Hudson was diagnosed with the condition, said, "He was deteriorating day by day, and pretty much ended up laying in bed, not moving. All they were doing was taking blood, doing tests, that's all they could do" After Hudson was diagnosed with the condition, he underwent two rounds of treatment. He showed signs of improvement, however, his test results were a cause of concern.
Damien said, "His numbers weren't coming back down to where they should be, and even though he was up showing signs that he was well - he was waking up, he was moving around and he started eating - the doctors every day kept coming in with bad news and saying there was nothing they could do, his numbers aren't moving. They were basically preparing us and saying he was not going to make it."
What Is Kawasaki Disease?
It is a rare heart condition that usually affects children under the age of 5. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Kawasaki disease causes the immune system to attack blood vessels, which gets inflamed and swollen. Kawasaki disease tends to affect the coronary arteries, which carry blood to the heart muscle. The condition is the most common form of acquired heart disease (not present at birth) in children.
Symptoms Of Kawasaki Disease
One of the most common signs of the condition is a high fever that lasts for five days or more. Along with fever, one might also witness some other symptoms. Here, take a look at some of those signs.
- Strawberry tongue, which is bumps or white spots on the tongue
- Peeling skin on the fingers and toes
- Red eyes
- Redness and inflammation of the hands and feet
- Redness and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue and throat
- Skin rash (see below)
- Swollen lymph glands
Causes Of Kawasaki Disease
Johns Hopkins says that the exact cause of Kawasaki disease is not known. However, it is "not contagious and so it cannot spread from person to person. It might be the result of changes to certain genes or related to viral or bacterial infections. Infections may cause the immune system to attack the blood vessel walls by mistake and cause inflammation."
Risks Factors Of Kawasaki Disease
There are certain factors that increase your child's risk of developing Kawasaki disease. These include:
- Age: Children under the age of 5 have the highest risk of Kawasaki disease.
- Sex: Children who are assigned male at birth are slightly more likely to get Kawasaki disease
- Ethnicity: Children of Asian or Pacific Islander descent have higher risks.
Complications Of Kawasaki Disease
Here are some of the complications of Kawasaki disease, according to Cleveland Clinic.
- Aneurysms in inflamed coronary arteries. In severe cases, this may require coronary artery bypass surgery
- Blood clots and narrowing in coronary arteries
- Coronary artery rupture
- Issues with the heart valves that help blood move through your child's heart
- Inflammation in your child's heart
- Hepatitis
- Inflammation in your child's lungs
- Infections in your child's heart
- Pancreatitis
- Poor heart function or heart failure
- Heart attack
Management/ Treatment for Kawasaki Disease
The treatment for Kawasaki disease aims to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Prevent or lessen damage to arteries
- Prevent blood clots in people with coronary artery issues
- Prevent heart complications
Here are some treatments that are used for Kawasaki disease.
- Immune globulin (IVIG), or human blood proteins that you receive by IV. About 10% of children may not respond to the first dose of IVIG and will need a second dose or other medications.
- Aspirin
- IV fluids for hydration
- Medications for pain and swelling
- Anticoagulants (blood thinners) for people at risk of blood clots
- Steroids or other anti-inflammatory medications in severe cases
- Cold compresses
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
