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Facebook Stunner: Child's Kawasaki Disease Mystery Solved By Users

Discussion in 'Pediatrics' started by Egyptian Doctor, Oct 21, 2011.

  1. Egyptian Doctor

    Egyptian Doctor Moderator Verified Doctor

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    One desperate mom named Deborah Copaken Kogan through a series of photos, being
    unable to diagnose her son's eyes swollen shut, his chin and cheeks ballooned
    beyond recognition and his fever ever rising her son's rare condition used
    Facebook to reach out and eventually figured out what his condition was and how
    to treat it. Kawasaki disease (KD) is rare, but the social
    network might have saved the child's life.

    So, Kogan's virtual friends looked at her posted photos, and simply commented on them.
    She rushed her son to the hospital.

    An unofficial Facebook blog stated:
    "There is no virtual in feelings of that magnitude. Perhaps just
    as in the real world, with your real life, and quote-unquote real friends, your
    Facebook friend network is what you make it. Accordingly, old adages apply:
    Choose your friends wisely. Put in as much as you expect to get
    out."


    So what is Kawasaki disease?

    The disorder, first described in 1967 by Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan, often begins with a
    high and persistent fever that is not very responsive to normal treatment with
    paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. The fever may persist steadily for up
    to two weeks and is normally accompanied by irritability.

    Kawasaki published the first English language report of 50 patients with Kawasaki disease
    in 1974. Since that time, KD has become the leading cause of acquired heart
    disease among children in North America and Japan. Although an infectious agent
    is suspected, the cause remains unknown. However, significant progress has been
    made toward understanding the natural history of the disease and therapeutic
    interventions have been developed that halt the immune-mediated destruction of
    the arterial wall.

    Inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth,
    along with erythema (redness), edema (swelling) with fissures (cracks in the
    lip surface), desquamation (peeling) and exsudation of the lips become
    exceedingly evident. Rashes occur early in the disease, and the cutaneous rash
    observed in patients with KD is non-specific, polymorphic, non-itchy and
    normally observed up to the fifth day of fever.

    Some of these symptoms
    may come and go during the course of the illness. It is a syndrome affecting
    multiple organ systems, and in the acute stage of KD, systemic inflammatory
    changes are evident in many organs.

    If left untreated, some symptoms
    will eventually relent, but coronary artery aneurysms will not improve, resulting in a
    significant risk of death or disability due to myocardial infarction (heart attack). If treated in a timely fashion,
    this risk can be mostly avoided and the course of illness cut short.


    Children with Kawasaki disease should be hospitalized and cared for by a
    physician who has experience with this disease. When in an academic medical
    center, care is often shared between pediatric cardiology and pediatric
    infectious disease specialists (although no specific infectious agent has been
    identified as yet). It is imperative that treatment be started as soon as the
    diagnosis is made to prevent damage to the coronary arteries.

    [​IMG]

    Source : Facebook Stunner: Child's Kawasaki Disease Mystery Solved By Users
     

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    Last edited: Oct 21, 2011

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