Some Children Diagnosed With Coronavirus Also Stricken By Inflammatory Syndrome

Some children infected with COVID-19 are showing much different symptoms than adults, and news reports call it a mysterious inflammatory syndrome.

Dr. Nicholas Peterson said more than 50 children in the New York have come down with rare and deadly symptoms.

"Redness of the eyes, swelling in the neck area, full body rash, sometimes you get dry cracked lips, sometimes your tongue gets kind of swollen and looks like a strawberry,” Peterson said.

The majority of these children either tested positive for COVID-19 or had antibodies of the virus.

However, Peterson said these particular symptoms mirror that of a rare, deadly disease called Kawasaki.

"It's inflammation in the blood vessels throughout the body," he said.

Some researchers believe it's some children's immune systems' response to the virus, presenting a toxic shock syndrome.

Peterson said what is alarming is that the illness can lead to lifelong complications.

"It can lead to issues with the heart blood vessels, the coronary arteries; they can be inflamed and dilate and cause heart issues," he said.

Other symptoms to watch out for include abdominal pain, diarrhea and a fever for more than five days.

Peterson said much is still not known about Kawasaki.

“We don't know if it's infectious or not," he said.

Doctors are still working to find out whether COVID-19 is in fact linked to Kawasaki disease.

But there are precautions parents should take. If your child has a fever for more than five days in a row, Peterson recommends that's when you should at least be calling your doctor.

Peterson said if your child shows a fever, dehydration and extreme exhaustion, it's best to take them to the emergency room.