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Kawasaki Disease – The School Nurse Guide

Kawasaki Disease

I don’t care how long you do something — you never master it completely…and this nursing gig ain’t no different. Who has ever heard of Kawasaki Syndrome or Kawasaki Disease? Nah, me neither. But good thing you’re reading this article; now you’ve heard of it.

This is a rare disease. Compared to the 3 million people who get the flu each year (in the U.S.), only 20,000 will get Kawasaki Disease in that same year. I simply say, “only.” But to those 20,000 folks who develop Kawasaki Disease, this ain’t nothing that would compare to either “simple” or “only.” “Kawasaki disease is an illness that causes inflammation (swelling and redness) in blood vessels throughout the body.

First of All

First of all, Kawasaki Disease IS NOT normally a fatal disease. “They” really don’t know how it develops and “they” are not completely sure that it is contagious. Regardless of it being contagious or not, it is most common in young children. And we also know that those children have 10 little fingers on their two chubby little hands and will usually stick one (or more) of their little (or BIG) fingers into one (one more) of their facial orifices during any given day. As a matter of fact, my last child with a nosebleed blamed his bleeding nose not on his nose picking, but, “No, Nurse Kevin; someone else was picking my nose. That’s why it started bleeding.” 

Still, they don’t think it’s spread from person-to-person. However, some sources suggest a microbial agent is the culprit. Yet still, the cause of the disease remains generally unknown.

If It’s Not Contagious, Then Is Kawasaki Disease Genetic? 

It’s most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent.” Nonetheless, during the four outbreaks since 1982, white and black folks have suffered through this condition just like their Asian friends. So, who knows? That’s what makes this illness so…for lack of a better word…interesting (not that I am OK with it).

What Are the Symptoms of Kawasaki Disease?

Fever of 102.0°F to 104.0°F (38.8°C to 40.0°C) that lasts for at least five days

Red rash

A swollen lymph node, usually in the neck

Swollen hands and feet

Red eyes

Red and dry cracked lips

Red tongue with white spots (called “strawberry tongue”)

Irritability

Fast heart rate

Diarrhea or vomiting

Skin peeling

(https://childrensnational.org/visit/conditions-and-treatments/heart/kawasaki-disease).

When you read this list of symptoms, it’s like you’re reading a list of symptoms found in most any child that is ill. The big question: Is it Kawasaki Syndrome or Kawasaki Disease? We could say, “Kawasaki Disorder.” Some conditions that present in a tell-tale fashion with those “textbook” symptoms can usually be diagnosed by using the “duck method.” You know, the “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck, it must be a duck” method. In order to diagnose Kawasaki Disease, the physician will actually start a process of ruling out other illnesses that resemble Kawasaki Disease, such as scarlet fever, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, measles, tick-borne illnesses, or other possibilities. In the case of Kawasaki Disease, it’s the one that does not look like the duck that helps the doctor diagnose Kawasaki Disease. 

Three Phases of Kawasaki Disease

Three Clinical Phases: Acute, Subacute, and Convalescent

The Acute Phase

Also known as the febrile phase, the acute phase usually lasts for about a week or two and ends when the fever breaks. It may last up to about 14 days, yet will usually conclude after about 5-7 days. It is characterized by conjunctival injection (hyperemia or bloodshot eyes, mouth and lip changes, swelling and erythema (superficial reddening of the skin, usually in patches, as a result of injury or irritation causing dilatation of the blood capillaries [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythema]) of the it 0sttps","hash_tracking":"false","ua":t/chttsaki Dl4-00;" var hitConverted, hitObject = false, actionOin eing ape=>

The Acute Phase

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