Post
by dtl1954 » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:21 pm
My daughter had kwasaki at age 16. I remember the day like it was yesterday. We were out having breakfast and her hands were swollen and painful and she had a slight rash. I told her maybe she was eating too much salt and it was causing swelling. I wasn't sure what to say about the rash that was on her wrist, it was itchy and I thought maybe she had a slight allergy to something. I called the pediatrician and he said to give her Benodryl for the rash. The next day the symptoms continued, I called the pediatrician again and he agreed to see her. He examined her and said it was just a rash and to continue with the benodryl. Day 3 she now has a fever, rash and she is home from school sick. Day 4 she is running a high fever, swollen glands, swollen hands, she is sick. We visit the pediatrician again, blood work is done, it all comes back good, diagnosis urinary tract infection...treatment sulfar. Day 5 she is getting sicker, her fever is high, her tongue is swollen, her eyes are bright red and swollen. I call the pediatrician again, we have another visit, it is a unknown virus. Day 6 fever, swollen hands, swollen tongue, rash, red eyes, hands are peeling. Back to the pediatrician. Day 7 she is not able to climb the stairs without being winded, she needs help walking, the back of her legs are aching something terrible. No one in the house is sleeping, someone is with her every minute. Day 7 much of the time, sleeping, tylenol. I am very worried, no one can tell me what is wrong with her. Day 8 I was going to the dermatologist for a visit, and I brought Kristen with me, and I thought maybe this doctor can tell me why my child's hand are peeling and her hands and palms and like raw meat. The dermatologist took a quick look at her hands and stated it was Kawasaski. I stop dead in my tracks and contact the pediatrician, he was not in and the covering pediatrician stated it could not be kawasaki because she was too old! Day 9 her pediatrician calls, it dawns on him she could have kawasaki. When he called he had already made an appointment with a cardiologist! Day 10 we go to the pediatrician, she has some left valve damage, and she goes on asprin therapy for 6 months. She is now 26 years old, She seems to always be sick with soar throats, swollen glands or just a general not well feeling.
It was the worst time of our lives, not being able to help her every single day! I could have lost her! Never listen to anyone, I continually spoke with the pediatrician, every single day for 10 days, no one would listen. She was just too old for that disease. She has visited a cardiologist regularly. I do not know what the future brings for her! There are not alot of studies about long term issues to kids who survived kawasaki. But the misdiagnosis could have caused my daughter's death!
The pediatrician still speaks to me about my daughter. He has apologized many times for not admitting her to the hospital! My advice to parents "you know your child, listen to your heart and your gut, just don;t wait!
My girlfriend lost her 2 year old grandson to the same disease in 1990, he was a healthy beautiful child one week, diagnosed with a fever and ear infection, one week later he passed away. Kawasaki shut his system down, caused kidney failure and he passed away just short of his third birthday!