Doctors share new information on possible link between inflammatory conditions, coronavirus in children
PIMS and Kawasaki Disease are similar inflammatory conditions, which doctors believe are both in some way connected to COVID-19.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Doctors researching COVID-19 have come up with new information about the pediatric disorder now striking kids who have coronavirus antibodies.
On Thursday night, 8-year-old Jayden Hardowar of New York City was finally back home.
But for two weeks he was in hospital after suffering from a days-long fever and then cardiac arrest. Doctors gave him the same medication used to treat patients with Kawasaki Disease.
"Jayden has come around. He can walk on his own right now. He starts to talk and that was one of our concerns," said Roup Hardowar, Jayden's father.
Doctors say Jayden suffered from Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS).
PIMS and Kawasaki Disease are similar inflammatory conditions, which they believe are both in some way connected to COVID-19. Jayden has tested negative for active COVID-19, but tested positive for the antibodies.
Doctors in Los Angeles are also seeing a spike in the mysterious symptoms in children.
"Now, we're realizing we're dealing with something new. Something that may have quite a broad spectrum of disease," said Dr. Jacqueline Szmuszkovicz, a pediatric cardiologist.
Doctors at Children's Hospital Los Angeles are seeing a range of symptoms. Some with mild symptoms while others have severe symptoms, like toxic shock. In April, three patients who developed Kawasaki-like symptoms tested antibody positive.
Those three patients range in age from 8 months old to 2 years old and have all been successfully discharged.
"We recently diagnosed a fourth patient with PIMS, whose currently in our hospital and is in critical condition at this time," said Szmuszkovicz.
Doctors are urging parents to look for symptoms like rash, bloodshot eyes, high fever and swollen hands or feet. Persistent fever in both children and infants is also a potential concern.
What parents should know about rare condition that affects some kids with COVID-19
