CASES of Kawasaki disease have doubled in the last year, data has revealed.
The disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children under five in the UK and can be fatal if not treated in time.
GettyThe symptoms of the illness include a rash and swollen lymph nodes[/caption]
Without treatment, around one in four children get heart complications and this can be fatal in about two to three per cent of cases, the NHS states.
Around eight in every 100,000 children develop Kawasaki disease in the UK each year.
It’s more common in boys than girls and previous research found that 72 per cent of children with the condition were under the age of five.
In 2020/21, 706 children received treatment for Kawasaki disease – double the average of 336 children per year for the previous five years, the latest figures from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) state.
As the number of children needing treatment increases, it’s key that all parents know the signs of the illness.
The NHS states there are some key symptoms to look out for:
high temperature that lasts for 5 days or longera rashswollen glands in the neckdry, red cracked lipsa swollen, bumpy, red tongue (“strawberry tongue”)red inside the mouth and at the back of the throatswollen and red hands and feetred eyes
It’s always treated in hospital and children are given immunoglobulin, which is made from plasma.
Due to the uptick of children needing this treatment, NHSBT is calling on more people to donate plasma.
In order to meet demand, NHSBT is looking to increase the number of plasma donors from 5,850 to 10,200.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien said donors could save someone’s life.
“More plasma donors are needed to treat Kawasaki’s disease and we are working closely with NHS Blood and Transplant to boost supplies so we can provide the best possible care to patients,” he said.
“Thank you to existing donors who have generously come forward. If you can, please consider donating blood or plasma – it could save someone’s life.”
Gerry Gogarty, director of plasma for medicines at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “There is a rising need for plasma donors to help treat life-threatening immune disorders such as Kawasaki disease.
“You can help by donating plasma or blood – you have a medicine in you.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, a number of children contracted the bug, with experts warning it may have been linked to Covid-19.
Medics dubbed the phenomenon paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (PMIS).
They said that in those cases, children were developing symptoms up to three weeks after contracting Covid-19.