Because of the fact that there are so many different illnesses in today's world, it helps to have a basic understanding of some of them as it will help you better understand and identify the presence of certain conditions - thereby making treatment more effective. One of the biggest problems faced in the early detection of illnesses across the world is that a number of people are not aware of some of the most common symptoms - especially in conditions that will generally first start out with the symptoms of a normal flu. Treating illnesses in children is more serious because of the fact that a child's immune system has not fully developed - thereby making them more prone to certain conditions. Some conditions are more prevalent than others - but this does not mean that they be taken less seriously. On the contrary, if the condition is rare it becomes much harder to find a specialist that will be better equipped to deal with the condition. Kawasaki disease is an illness that falls into the more uncommon category. This is why questions like what is Kawasaki disease and is Kawasaki disease contagious are often asked to doctors.
Kawasaki disease is characterized by the development of a significantly high fever that will usually last for a period of about five days along with a host of other symptoms including an inflammation as well as reddening of the whites of the eyes; swelling and a redness of the hands and feet; swelling in the lymph nodes located in the neck and the development of cracks along the already inflamed lips. It is not necessary for all of the mentioned symptoms to develop, but a majority in some kind of combination will usually occur. When a child shows only some of the symptoms, the condition may be medically termed as being 'incomplete Kawasaki disease'. Case studies show that the patients that are usually affected happen to be under the age of 5. Studies show that the condition affects about 19 kids in every 10,000 - with the most common children affected being of Japanese or Korean decent. However this does not mean that children of other races are not immune to the condition. The Kawasaki disease symptoms around the second phase of the condition, which is within two weeks from when the fever had started, will include the peeling of large pieces of skin around the hands and feet. The condition is also known to influence a number of other symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and significant joint pain that makes movement rather painful for the child.
While the Kawasaki disease symptoms in adults and children mentioned are some of the more common ones, there are also a number of symptoms that are not immediately noticeable. For instance, individuals suffering from Kawasaki disease are known to develop an inflammation of the lining of the heart, covering of the brain and spinal cord as well as a number of other heart complications.
While most conditions are usually treated by paying close attention to the various causes that influence its development, the treatment for Kawasaki disease is significantly harder because of the fact that the root cause of the condition is still unknown Experts currently researching the condition believe that the condition is primarily caused by microorganisms and toxins, although there is no physical proof of the same. However, one lead that does seem to be correct is that the condition is know to have some traces in genetics and hereditary. Since the disease has traces of hereditary causes, treatment for Kawasaki disease becomes all the more difficult.
Kawasaki disease in children should never be underestimated the complications arising from the condition can substantially affect the child's future and overall quality of life. For instance, some of the better known Kawasaki syndrome complications include inflammation of the arteries - known as 'Vasculitis'. This condition usually affects the arteries that directly feed the heart muscle and can influence the occurrence of coronary aneurisms.
Treatment for Kawasaki disease that appears to be the norm in today's medical world revolves around treating the affected victim with significantly high doses of salicylic acid in order to help reduce the inflammation as well as mildly thin the blood. Thinning of the blood will prevent the development of any blood clots within the arteries which will further help in the Kawasaki disease treatment. Studies have shown that the condition will usually tend to resolve itself within a period of between 4 and 8 weeks. However, this does not mean that the outlook for children suffering from the condition do not face any long term effects. As mentioned previously, the development of Kawasaki disease symptoms in children and adults may lead to death of the patient as a result of blood clots that have developed in abnormal areas of the widening of the heart arteries.
The quality of life that the patient leads after being affected by Kawasaki disease majorly depends on how early treatment was provided during the development of the condition. Another aspect of the condition that one must be prepared for is the relapse of symptoms of Kawasaki disease that may occur soon after the initial treatment for Kawasaki disease. In most cases, this occurrence will call for hospitalization and specialist treatment. To make sure that the treatment for Kawasaki disease is as effective as possible, it should be started as soon as about 10 days from the beginning of the fever. However, because of the fact that the Kawasaki disease symptoms are not very different from a number of other conditions, it is important to make sure that you get a few medical tests performed in order to rule out a host of other conditions such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Scarlet fever, Measles, an allergic reaction to some kind of drug or medication or even Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis.
The country with the most instances of Kawasaki disease is Japan with studies showing that almost as many as 175 children amongst 100,000 children are affected by the condition. About 2000 to 4000 cases of the condition are reported in the United States every year.
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