A Scary Complication of Covid-19 in Kids

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:

• ever

• stomach pain

• vomiting

• diarrhea

• neck pain

• rash

• bloodshot eyes

• 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