You may be aware of recent reporting on this syndrome, as news outlets have been doing many stories about it. There are a few things we want you to be aware of:
- It’s extremely rare, even in children who have been sick with or infected with coronavirus
- It seems to be associated with COVID-19, though it may not be directly due to acute infection. It is occurring weeks after exposure or other COVID-related symptoms
- It is associated with persisting high fevers and, variably, rashes, red eyes, severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy, confusion and breathing problems
- These are extremely ill children. So, don’t worry about your child having it if your child has mild illness – for instance, 1-2 days of mild nausea with vomiting and diarrhea, mild rash, and fevers <102. If your child appears only mildly ill then it is unlikely to be MIS-C and likely to be something else.
Again, while there has been a large amount of media attention and it sounds very frightening, it is very rare. The first cases of MIS-C in Colorado have now been identified (5/20/20). We are doing our best to be up-to-date on this topic and all related COVID19 topics, so continue to seek out expert advice from our colleagues at Children’s Hospital of Colorado.
