You’ve likely heard the frightening reports about Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) as a result of Covid-19. As if parents didn’t have enough to seriously worry about during the pandemic.
Let’s help solve a little of the anxiety by answering some common questions about the syndrome.
What exactly is MIS-C?
MIS-C is a condition that some children develop a few weeks after being infected with Covid-19. Different parts of a child’s body become inflamed—such as the heart, lungs, and brain.
Inflammation can be part of a child’s healthy immune response to a virus. However, MIS-C seems to trigger an extreme response, which can unintentionally damage the body rather than the virus it’s supposed to be fighting.
According to the CDC, Children experiencing MIS-C can have multiple symptoms:
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ever
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stomach pain
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vomiting
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diarrhea
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neck pain
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rash
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bloodshot eyes
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exhaustion
Not all children have the same symptoms, but they all have more than one.
Why do only some children develop MIS-C?
Doctors and scientists still don’t understand why some children get MIS-C after Covid-19 while others don’t. Research indicates that a child with a preexisting condition such as obesity or asthma may have a higher risk of developing MIS-C.
A disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic children have developed MIS-C, which matches other data showing that our communities have been affected more deeply by the virus.
Why is MIS-C so hard on a child’s body?
MIS-C causes severe and sustained inflammation in the body. Untreated inflammation can damage many organs, but one of the most dangerous complications of MIS-C involves the heart. Inflammation damages the heart tissue, which decreases the heart’s ability to pump the blood by up to 30%.
How many children get MIS-C?
MIS-C exits, but it is rare. Of the millions of children in the U.S. who’ve had Covid-19, less than 1% of them also developed MIS-C. And of those diagnosed MIS-C cases, only 1.5% were fatal.
The majority of children with MIS-C need hospital care, but, while the condition can be deadly, most children get better with treatment.
What should families do now?
Don’t panic about MIS-C. It is very serious, but simple precautions are the best for prevention. And in many cases they are the same precautions that you would use for Covid-19 prevention.
Wash your hands, wear a mask with more than one layer, avoid indoor spaces, and stay at least 6 feet apart from others.
Let’s get healthier, together!
Your friends at Santo Remedio
