The Washington Post on Sept 8, 2009 published a story called "A Frightful Week for a Little Girl" in its Medical Mystery section on Kawasaki Disease. This disease is rare and difficult to diagnose given its multitude of symptoms that can be due to something more benign including:
• red eyes
• fever
• rash
• neck mass
• red lips/mouth
However, it is the constellation of symptoms according to guidelines that Kawasaki in children should be considered when there has been an unexplained fever lasting five days, when accompanied by other symptoms including red eyes without discharge, red lips or mouth, a rash and a swollen lymph node in the neck. The red eyes and lips/mouth is the hallmark symptom of something more sinister.
To miss this diagnosis and be without proper treatment within 10 days of symptom onset may result in heart attack, coronary artery aneurysm, and even death.
Read the article here.
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