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NEW JERSEY – New Jersey is among the three states most affected by a rare inflammatory syndrome diagnosed in children with coronavirus, according to a new report from the United States Centers for Disease Control.
The disease, known as pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), has been diagnosed in at least 31 New Jersey children.
Children with the syndrome have symptoms resembling Kawasaki disease, another rare childhood disease that can cause swelling and heart problems. Other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extremely tired.
The disease can also cause problems with the cardiovascular systems and inflammation of the muscles of the heart as well as what is known as “strawberry tongue”, a swollen and bumpy tongue.
According to the CDC report, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts recorded more than 31 cases of MIS-C between March and July. Illinois and Pennsylvania, Louisiana and California have each reported 21 to 30 cases of inflammatory disease in children.
Three New Jersey children have died from complications from the coronavirus, all involving children 4 and under. But it was not immediately clear whether they were linked to MIS-C. Read more: Coronavirus in NJ children: New data on cases and deaths released
The reports echo the latest public health data from New Jersey which shows that nearly 6,000 people aged 18 and under have been diagnosed with COVID-19, representing about 3% of the state’s confirmed cases at this time. day. Of these, 1,021 were aged 4 and under.
Last week, New Jersey officials announced they were investigating the death of a 7-month-old baby who had tested positive for coronavirus. Read more: Coronavirus may have caused infant death in New Jersey: officials
Governor Phil Murphy on Sunday announced 329 new global cases of the coronavirus and four more deaths. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, reopen updates: here’s what you need to know
Across the country, 570 children have been diagnosed with MIS-C. Ten of these children died and 364 were admitted to intensive care.
Treatments include drugs such as steroids and intravenous immunoglobin. “These drugs reduce the body’s excessive immune response, lower fever and inflammation, and allow heart function to return to normal,” according to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
CDC data released this week shows that the most common underlying condition among people diagnosed with the disease is obesity. Nearly 150 patients diagnosed with MIS-C were obese, the CDC said. And more than 8% of patients had some form of chronic lung disease.
More information on patient characteristics can be found here.
Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the State Department of Health, said the state had contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for advice.
Lifshitz asked parents to “be aware of this, watch out if you suspect symptoms”.
He said people should contact medical experts, doctors and hospitals if they detect the disease because “it’s something that is potentially treatable.”
The State Department of Health also shared additional advice:
When should I call my child’s doctor or seek emergency care?
- You should call your child’s doctor right away if your child becomes ill and has continued to have a fever. Your doctor will ask you questions about your child’s signs or symptoms and use this information to recommend next steps. If your child is seriously ill, you must go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately.
Is MIS-C contagious?
- MIS-C is not contagious. However, your child may have another underlying infection that can be contagious. Until more is known about this disease, hospitals treating children with MIS-C take the same precautions as for patients with COVID-19.
Diagnostic
- If a health care professional suspects a child may have this syndrome, the child should be tested for the virus that causes COVID-19. This would involve a diagnostic test to see if the child is currently infected with the virus. They should also have a serological test to see if the child has antibodies to the virus, which would indicate that he has been exposed to the virus in the past or may have potentially been infected.
Treatment
- There is no specific treatment for this syndrome. The child’s health care provider should provide treatment for the symptoms, if applicable. Early treatment of patients suspected of having MIS-C may include treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (also called IV or intravenous) and steroids. These drugs help reduce the body’s immune response that causes inflammatory syndrome. Children are also given other medicines to protect their heart, kidneys and other organs.
Prevention
- It is important to take steps to prevent your child from being exposed to COVID-19. Keeping people away from others, using face covers, and practicing good hand hygiene are the best ways to prevent COVID-19.
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