It’s widely understood that COVID-19 can cause serious complications in adults, but parents may not be aware of a rare but dangerous coronavirus-related infection that’s targeting kids. A Washington, D.C. mom is sounding the alarm about Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C), an inflammatory disease linked to COVID-19 that left her 3-year-old daughter hospitalized for nearly a week.
In a November 12 post on Facebook, Miranda Gregory Vesey explains how her entire family was exposed to COVID-19 by a teacher they hired to help her daughters with virtual learning. On Wednesday, October 7, the teacher complained of cold symptoms and went home early. A mere 24 hours later, Vesey got a text message saying the teacher’s husband had tested positive for the virus.
“After giving my thoughts and prayers, the only question I had for her was when did his symptoms start? She replied he started feeling bad on Monday,” Vesey writes. “That means she was in our home for two days teaching school with a sick person at home. Andy [my husband] and I were fuming and very certain we had all been exposed.”
Vesey’s children had symptoms of the virus by the end of the week, and soon, the entire family was sick. “Of course, the adults were the sickest,” she writes. “Try parenting with COVID. The normal bustle of our home stopped … Having COVID-19 felt like I was fighting something evil that my body had no idea what to do with. So, my body threw every defense mechanism it had on it. Horrible chills and fever at the same time, terrible lethargy but total restlessness. My entire body ached, even my hair hurt. I literally could not move for days.”
It took several weeks for the family to recover, but by Halloween, everyone was on the mend. Then, on November 7, Vesey’s daughter, Vivian, took a turn for the worst. The toddler spiked a fever that eventually reached 104.5. Her worried parents rushed her to the hospital, where tests for various bacterial infections came back negative. Once they returned home, Vivian developed a widespread rash and complained of pain in her back, stomach and head.
After days of back and forth with the pediatrician, Vesey found her little girl curled up in a ball on her bedroom floor and “writhing in pain.” Vivian was once again taken to the hospital, where doctors determined she had MIS-C.
The Mayo Clinic describes MIS-C as a possible “excessive immune response” related to COVID-19. In patients who develop MIS-C, organs and tissues — such as the heart, lungs, blood vessels, digestive system and brain — become severely inflamed. Symptoms typically develop two to four weeks after a COVID-19 infection, and they are most common in children ages 3-12, though they can occur in kids of all ages and even in adults.
In children who have been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19, symptoms of MIS-C infection include:
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Fever that lasts 24 hours or longer.
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Vomiting or diarrhea.
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Skin rash.
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Stomach pain.
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Rapid heartbeat or breathing.
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Redness or swelling of the lips, hands, tongue and/or feet.
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Headache, dizziness, lightheadedness or fatigue.
It is widely believed that COVID-19 infections are less severe in children. Kids contract the virus at lower rates than adults, and are less likely to develop complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The incidence of MIS-C is also low. Only 1,223 cases of MIS-C have been reported since June; however, the illness is serious and 23 children have died from it. As more children are diagnosed with COVID-19 throughout the US, the number of MIS-C cases will likely continue to climb.
Vivian was released from the hospital on November 16, and is finally feeling better, though it is possible her severe illness could impact her long term health.
Vesey is sharing her family’s story to raise awareness about the seriousness of COVID-19, and the very real danger kids may face if they catch it. “Moms, you need to know that your kids can get very sick,” she says. “MIS-C appears in children of all ages. Do not take this illness lightly. You do not want your child in the PICU with swollen organs.”
She encourages people to stay home if they feel sick, even if they think it’s only allergies, and to rigorously monitor everyone they allow into their “bubble” for symptoms. “If you are careless, it is only a matter of time before you or someone you love gets sick,” she writes. “Don’t take the risk.”