SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – An alarming number of children are being rushed to the Rady Children’s Hospital because of “MIS-C”, a respiratory illness resulting from COVID-19.
While the coronavirus pandemic dominates the headlines, pediatricians around the world are seeing an increase in another dangerous trend.
“We are just in the middle of the ‘MIS-C’ epidemic now,” said Dr. Adriana Tremoulet, a doctor in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Rady Children’s Hospital.
“MIS-C” means Multisystemic Inflammatory Syndrome in Children. It is an inflammatory reaction to COVID-19, affecting mainly school-age children who, two to six weeks earlier, contracted COVID or were exposed to someone with COVID in the house.
“Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, red eyes, red lips, skin rashes all over the body, hands and feet may have rashes or bright red as well,” said Dr. Tremoulet.
Since last April, Dr. Tremoulet says there have been 57 cases of “MIS-C” at the Rady Children’s Hospital. But most patients have been seen in the past two months. In terms of time, she says it lines up exactly two to six weeks after the peak of COVID in adults.
“The heart itself has been affected. Therefore, the heart is a pump and does not pump well in many of these children,” said Dr. Tremoulet.
Children spend an average of five to nine days at the Rady Children’s Hospital and many need care in the Intensive Care Unit. Doctors treat patients with large doses of anti-inflammatories and, in some cases, with steroids.
Dr. Tremoulet says that “MIS-C” predominantly affects Latin and African American children. But it is not known whether it is because there is a higher COVID rate among these demographics or a genetic predisposition.
“Latin America is seeing many Latin children with ‘MIS-C’, but they are also seeing a lot of COVID. While Asian countries also have, of course, less COVID, but are not seeing any ‘MIS-C’ at all, “Dr. Tremoulet said.
Dr. Tremoulet asks parents to be more vigilant if they have or have been exposed to COVID in the past few weeks.
“Use this barometer as a parent, where you know your child is sick more than usual, and seek medical attention,” said Dr. Tremoulet.
The youngest patient with “MIS-C” at Rady Children’s Hospital was two years old and the oldest was in his teens. But there have been a few cases across the country where “MIS-C” performed in young adults.
The mortality rate for “MIS-C” is 3 to 5%. But at Rady Children’s Hospital, thankfully, there were no deaths.