Mummy Shares Her Experience after Her 4-Month-Old Daughter was Diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease

Below is a post from a mummy on Facebook to create more awareness on the Kawasaki disease:

I’m not a mother influencer or blogger but I hope this little effort can bring awareness of this fatal disease because there are parents who lost their child to this disease. – It will be a lengthy post, just skip if you are not interested.

When Germaine was almost 4 months old she had onset of low grade fever of 37.5degree on 30 sept 2018, we thought it was normal for babies to have low grade fever. Unfortunately her temperature did not go down, it was an on n off thingy.

She was still cheerful however until the 3rd day of fever, she started to get moody and she was spiking temperature as high as 38.5degree. At that point of time she had hives looking rashes spreading around one side of her lower abdomen. She was unusually cranky. We took her to PD, PD diagnosed her with UTI and prescribed her with Augmentin (a form of antibiotics) and paracetamol.

Despite a day of medication and tepid sponging her fever did not subside and even went as high as 39.5 degree with the rashes were looking worst.

Aside from them, she started to have conjunctivitis, puffy hands and reddish lips. Her milk intake drop drastically to almost less than 50% of her usual. We were dead worried and decided to bring her to KKH’s A&E. After looking through her symptoms, the doctors suspected she was having measles however they were also worried it might be Kawasaki Disease.

She was admitted to isolation ward in view of query measles. Several bloods and swabs were done for her to rule out for any infection and her temperature did not go down during her first night of hospitalization. It was a ground of agony for all of us to see her screaming and crying especially during plug setting and blood taking.

So the final diagnosis turns out to be Kawasaki Disease as her swabs and blood cultures were negative. (Meaning theres no bacteria growing in her).

I was being told it is getting common in Singapore however my husband and I realise not a lot of people around us are aware of it.

So..

What is Kawasaki Disease (KD)?

It is an inflammation of the wall of medium-sized arteries of body. But it affects lymph nodes, skin and mucous membranes inside mouth throat and nose. Commonly on children below 5 years old.

There is no way to prevent and the cause is unknown. Most imptly, it takes time to diagnose because there is no specific test for this disease.

Signs and symptoms would be :

• High fever (above 39 degree) for more than 3 days.

• Conjunctivitis

• Rashes on abdomen or genital area

• Red, dry and cracked lips with strawberry tongue.

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Irritability

You don’t have to wait for all symptoms to surface before consulting doctor.

If you notice fever associate with red eyes, puffy and red hands and feet, swollen lymph node would be best to head to the hospital straight.

If you did not manage to seek treatment timely it will leave permanent heart damages.

Such as, inflammation of blood vessels and heart muscles. Or damaged heart valves. (Valves are like the doors in our heart for the blood to flow in the correct direction).
All these can cause future heart attacks for the child.

The peak period to receive treatment for KD is 5th to 10th of onset of fever.

Germaine is blessed to receive her IVIg transfusion (Intravenous immunoglobulin, a protein which our body has) on the 5th day of onset.

The transfusion was 10hours long with frequent monitoring but so thankful her symptoms went off gradually and she appeared to be more cheerful and slept well.
She was afebrile for 24hours after the transfusion hence she was discharged.
However she need to be on 3 months of low dose Aspirin.

She went for follow up for 2D echo post 7 days of discharge. One of the vessels was still slightly dilated while the rest went back normal.

2 days back, she went for her second 2D echo, thankfully cardiologist mentioned all her vessels went back normal. Shes free from aspirin.

It may sound like a series of unfortunate events but I am thankful my little one is treated.

Thank God for the “mother instinct” to bring her to the hospital. Thankful for pastor’s prayer and all the concern and love given to Germaine especially from my mom and close direct family members during that period.

All glory to God.
#kawasakidisease

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