TUCSON, Ariz. – The Pima County Department of Health has confirmed one case of ‘multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children’ (MIS-C) and is investigating a small handful more.
Banner Diamond Children’s Center said the child has been treated for this disease which doctors say is triggered by COVID-19.
‘It can happen in children who have been symptomatic or asymptomatic. The syndrome itself we think it is probably not another infection but probable [an over-response] from the immune system to the virus in fighting and fighting it, “explained Dr. Chan Lowe, department head of the pediatric hospital at Banner.
Dr. Lowe explained from the patients that Diamond Children’s Center has seen, the symptoms have been persistent fever, redness in the white part of the eyes, abdominal pain, and even a rash.
He explained that it is still very early in MIS-C concept so doctors do not know what the long-term effects are.
‘The first kids looked alike to Kawasaki, but it was rather things that were uniquely different. Older children do not seem to present as much as a Kawasaki syndrome. We do not know the long-term effects. We hope there are at least as many as one. The children respond very well to treatment, and it gives us hope that there will be no lasting effects, but they should be closely monitored by their pediatrician, ”he said.
He explained that Diamond Children’s Center uses antibodies to treat children.
“Up front in Tucson, we have a medication called IVIG, which is a pool of antibodies we get through blood donations. Part of it, because they collect the blood, they can also collect the serum that has these antibodies in them, making this product. It comes from another manufacturer, not from the Red Cross. But that medication when we give it the antibodies, seems to be anti-inflammatory and seems to be very effective in stopping this. “
Dr. Lowe added to keep your family safe, it starts with protecting against COVID-19, which means often hand washing and keeping children away from large groups.
.
