Health

Nebraska health officials warn of inflammatory conditions in children associated with COVID-19. Nebraska

On Monday, health officials confirmed the first and second cases of Nebraska demonstrating a rare, but potentially fatal, inflammatory condition in a child that might be associated with COVID-19.

One case involves a Douglas County boy under the age of 12 and a 9-year-old boy from Lexington. Both are currently hospitalized, but both are discharged on Monday.

Lexington’s youth Gabriel Faudore is expected to be discharged on Tuesday after being taken to the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center on May 21, said his mother, Alejandra Faudore.

Fauder said parents wanted to make sure their children were aware of a condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome or MIS-C.

“If you can help someone,” she said.

According to state health officials, this condition can cause inflammation of various organs in the body, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, and digestive tract.

According to Dr. Gary Anthony, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, health officials don’t know exactly what causes the syndrome, but many children diagnosed with it have COVID-19 or the new coronavirus. Was around a sick person caused by. .. The state issued a warning to health care providers on May 18.

“It can be very serious,” he said in a statement, “but most children diagnosed with the condition are better off with medical care.”

Dr. Adam Reinhardt, a pediatric rheumatologist at Boystown National Research Hospital, said the condition, if detected early, is highly treatable. He is involved in one case of mild and mildly suspected but unconfirmed, and is consulting on several other cases.

“If you can stop the inflammatory response early, you’ll reduce overall organ involvement (now) and get them back to your feet faster,” he said.

Adi Pour, director of the Department of Health, Douglas County, said the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained a very specific case definition when it alerted health officials of the condition in mid-May.

These include those under 20 years of age, fever >100.4 degrees over 24 hours, laboratory findings of inflammation, and serious illness requiring hospitalization, involvement of two or more organ systems, No alternative diagnosis, or positive COVID-19 test, exposure to disease-positive person or positive antigen test.

“There’s a lot to learn about this syndrome,” she said.

The CDC issued a warning after British physicians recognized an increase in reports of previously healthy children who had symptoms of severe inflammation.

Dr. Cariniemann, a doctor for childhood infections in children, states that the syndrome behaves like Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome, with inflammation of the blood vessels, usually the heart.

Like MIS-C, doctors don’t know exactly what causes these conditions, but they suspect infection or environmental triggers. The inflammatory syndrome occurs when the immune system overreacts.

On MIS-C, children appear to have been infected with the coronavirus a few weeks before the onset of the syndrome. She said the majority did not report COVID-19 symptoms.

Symptoms of MIS-C include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, red eyes, excessive tiredness, red lip cracks, red tongue, and swollen hands and feet.

But not all children have all the symptoms, Niemann said. Parents should contact their child’s doctor if the child develops such symptoms, especially if they have ever been exposed to COVID-19. First aid if the child has difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, new confusion, difficulty waking or keeping awake, bluish lips, face or severe abdominal pain Please request medical treatment.

There is no specific treatment for MIS-C, but doctors have been successful with treatments for conditions such as Kawasaki disease, she said.

Niemann also emphasized that this condition is rare and is not likely to be overlooked by parents now that it has become widely reported.

“It’s not subtle, your child will look ill, and you will use those parental instincts you have to take care of,” she said. “You will notice a change in your child that worries you, as it takes some time to develop.”

Children’s has a hotline for parents with questions about COVID-19 at 402-955-3200. I also have children Online symptom checker For parents on it COVID-19 web page.. Boys Town also has a COVID-19 information page...

Neiman said a child in Douglas County was hospitalized last Friday. He had been exposed to the coronavirus by a symptomatic COVID-19 family, probably a few weeks ago. He has responded well to the treatment he received and will be discharged soon.

Mr. Fauder said he was enthusiastic but nervous to bring his son Gabriel home. He will need regular follow-up and some outpatient physical therapy to regain his strength after illness. Family friends GoFundMe page To help families with medical, travel and other costs.

Her husband, Gonzalo Faudor, signed a COVID-19 in late April. Next came Faudoor, who was not working outside the house. However, the couple’s three children had no symptoms.

On May 15, Gabriel developed fever and mild stomach pain. The next day he began experiencing severe stomach pain and nausea. They went to the emergency room on weekends and then to a doctor. She said doctors began to suspect Kawasaki disease after his eyes were red. As a result of the examination, he had a heart problem and was diagnosed by flying to Omaha.

So Fauder said he either used a machine to take over the functions of the heart and lungs, or used the lungs alone to receive treatment to give the distressed organs a chance to recover. She admitted that her son’s case was particularly serious.

“It was a really tough journey,” she said.