What Parents Should Know About Rare Pediatric Syndrome Linked to COVID-19

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Hospitals are seeing more children with a rare syndrome linked to COVID-19. Luis Alvarez/Getty Images
  • Hospitals have seen a spike in cases of MIS-C, a rare pediatric condition related to COVID-19.
  • MIS-C can cause inflammation of vital organs, including the heart and lungs, and be deadly.
  • Symptoms of MIS-C include a persistent fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, bloodshot eyes, and abdominal pain.

With less than 0.1 percent of all deaths from COVID-19 occurring in people under age 18, children have been significantly less affected by the pandemic than older adults.

But that doesn’t mean they’ve been spared. Exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 puts kids at risk of a serious condition known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The condition can cause problems in major organs and, in some cases, lead to death.

While the condition is rare, cases of MIS-C have spiked in recent months. And as states continue to roll back restrictions on schools and businesses, experts are concerned that more children could be put at risk of this potentially deadly condition as they wait for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Source: healthline