Kawasaki Disease

What are the signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki disease symptoms most often begins with a high fever, between 102 and 104 degrees, that lasts an average of 10 days. The fever does not go down with usual doses of ibuprofen, acetaminophen or antibiotics.

Other Kawasaki disease symptoms are:

• Rash involving most of the body
• Extremely red, bloodshot eyes
• Red, swollen hands and feet
• Red cracked lips and red swollen tongue
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• High fever lasting >5 days

Children with Kawasaki disease are very swollen on the outside of their body, and the inflammation also occurs on the inside of the body in the blood vessels. Some children can develop problems with their blood vessels, especially the arteries that feed the heart (the coronary arteries).

Although Kawasaki disease is more common among people of Asian descent, children of any racial or ethnic background can be affected. Boys seem more susceptible to the disease than girls, but the reason is still unknown.

How do we diagnose Kawasaki disease?

There is no specific test that can determine if a child is suffering from Kawasaki disease. Instead, doctors look at a child's history and symptoms through a physical exam to determine if he or she has the condition.

Doctors at Children's Colorado will also give your child a blood test or series of blood tests to determine the amount of inflammation in the body.

Our cardiologists may also perform an echocardiogram (ECHO) to examine your child's heart muscle, valves and coronary arteries for damage caused by the illness. Your child will likely get echocardiograms every year or two to make sure no changes to the heart or coronary arteries have occurred.

How is Kawasaki disease treated at Children's Colorado?

• Kawasaki disease is treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the hospital to reduce inflammation.
• Aspirin is used to reduce inflammation.
• Treatment reduces the risk of heart complications in most patients.

Our Kawasaki Disease Clinic is a joint program of the Heart Institute and Pediatric Infectious Diseases

If your child is diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at Children's Colorado, he or she will immediately begin taking medication to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels. Our pediatric cardiologists will carefully monitor your child's heart to make sure it is not affected.

If your child does develop some cardiac complications, our cardiologists (in collaboration with your primary doctor and a team of Kawasaki specialists) will be able to prescribe medication and a Kawasaki disease treatment plan to help ease inflammation of the heart while your child is healing from the initial fever and its complications.

Children who develop heart complications from Kawasaki disease may need long-term medications or surgery to help keep the coronary arteries open.

How does Kawasaki disease affect the heart?

• Kawasaki disease causes inflammation of heart muscles, valves and blood vessels that supply the heart (coronary arteries).
• Damage to the coronary artery walls can result in ballooning (aneurysm) of the coronaries.
• Rarely, blood clots can occur in an aneurysm and can block the coronary arteries, which can result in a heart attack.

How are coronaries abnormalities treated?

• Aspirin
• Anticoagulation medications (blood thinner)

Learn about our nationally-ranked Heart Institute for the treatment of Kawasaki disease.

Get resources and learn more from the Kawasaki Kids Foundation.

Health professionals can find out what to look for when diagnosing Kawasaki disease with the signs and symptoms poster. Request a copy by emailing us at PhysicianRelations@childrenscolorado.org.