Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki Disease is an illness that involves the skin, mouth, and lymph nodes, and typically affects children who are under the age of 5. The cause of Kawasaki Disease is unknown, but if the symptoms are recognized early, kids with the disease can fully recover within a few days. If it goes untreated, it can lead to serious complications that can involve the heart.
Kawasaki disease occurs in 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the United States.Kawasaki Disease was named after a Japanese paediatrician Thomasaku Kawasaki, who first described it in 1967. It is most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent, but the illness can affect all ethnic groups.

There is no simple test for Kawasaki disease. The diagnosis is made by recognising the symptoms and signs of Kawasaki disease in a child who has a persistent fever with no other likely explanation. Blood tests may also help. An echocardiogram is performed to look for any changes in the coronary arteries.