DETROIT – There is a new name for the mysterious illness in children that’s believed to be connected to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The CDC is now calling it Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C for short.
The CDC sent doctors a new checklist for the syndrome including:
- Fever
- Inflammation
- At least 2 organs impacted
Children also need a positive test for COVID-19, the antibodies or a known exposure four weeks before the onset of symptoms.
Experts claim certain children seem to be a experiencing an over-active inflammatory response several weeks after they were infected or exposed to COVID-19.
Many of the children never showed any symptoms of coronavirus. There has been 135 cases of MIS-C nationwide and four deaths.
Beaumont doctor Bishara Freij treated three of the local cases and hopes the CDC alert will help increase awareness and information about the rare syndrome.
The initial symptoms to watch out for include:
- Fever lasting more than two days
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Some children also have red eyes, a red tongue and red, cracked lips, while others may have a rash
Freij said parents should not panic, but should seek care as quickly as possible.