The group is in memory of my daughter Gemma Locock who died from Kawasaki Disease on the 16th march 2008 after going undiognosed....
We are in Newcastle, Australia...
please feel free to add your storys,photos,links etc and help spread the word about kawasaki disease
KD was first documented in Japan in 1967 by Dr Tomisaku Kawasaki. He is accredited for having the symptoms (what a child feels) and
the signs (what we see) recognized as a new disease. It is found Worldwide within all ethnic groups and is increasing in many countries. Kawasaki Disease (KD) is an illness that primarily affects young children. It is characterized by an inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body. About 75 percent of patients are under five years old, but it can affect older children, babies and teenagers, as well. KD is more common in boys than girls, and the majority of cases are diagnosed in the winter and early spring. Early symptoms of KD include:
* Fever that lasts for several days
* Rash, often worse in the groin area
* Red eyes - no discharge
* Bright red, swollen, cracked lips
* Red tongue (strawberry like)
* Swollen hands and feet
* Redness of the palms and soles of the feet
* Swollen lymph nodes
Understandably, children with these symptoms are extremely uncomfortable and irritable. Any parent whose child has persistent fever and any of these symptoms should take him or her to the doctor immediately. During the first and second week of illness, other symptoms may appear. A telltale sign of KD is that skin on the fingertips and toes starts to peel. Children may also develop temporary arthritis that causes pain in joints throughout the body. Without treatment, about 25% of children develop heart disease involving the coronary arteries. Timely diagnosis and treatment (which usually includes intravenous gamma globulin) is highly effective in preventing coronary complications. Doctors continue to study the long-term outcome of children who do not appear to have coronary involvement. Other kinds of longer-term consequences (e.g., non-coronary) are extremely rare. There is no evidence that links KD with autism or a seizure disorder. A very small number of KD children might have a seizure in the early acute stage of KD when there are very high fevers, but there is no on-going or long term seizure prone condition. In the early stage of KD, called the acute phase, a child often looks and feels so ill that it can be frightening for parents and loved ones. It important to remember that although your child may have severe symptoms, in most cases, following treatment, he or she will make a complete recovery and resume normal activities within four to eight weeks. Children in whom heart problems have been detected will need to be closely monitored by a cardiologist. Naturally your child will be tired and you may notice a change in his/her personality but it is also important to remember that children are resilient.
