Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children, more commonly known as MIS-C, is a rare condition that creates an extreme immune response in some children who have been infected with COVID-19. Considered a syndrome, not a disease, MIS-C generally presents itself as a cluster of symptoms including, swelling, irritation, or pain throughout the body.
MIS-C can be mistaken for other more common illnesses, but if left untreated, it can pose a danger to the vital organs, (eg, heart, lungs, or kidneys). In rare cases, it can be fatal, but most children who develop MIS-C eventually recover with proper medical care.
MIS-C affects each child differently so symptoms can vary quite a bit from child to child. The following is a list of symptoms that may indicate a child has MIS-C:
Seek immediate medical attention if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms:
Michael Grosso, MD, Medical Director and Chair of Pediatrics at Northwell Health in New York, reinforces the importance of not delaying care to avoid serious complications, “Inflammation involving the heart is perhaps the most serious feature, and many children come to medical attention with the severe impairment of heart function, known as cardiogenic shock."
In general, children most at risk for being affected by MIS-C are between the ages of 3 and 12 years old, with 8 years old being the average. For reasons still not known or understood, Black, Latino or Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander children are more likely to be infected by MIS-C as compared to White children.
As with adults, children with underlying health conditions are also considered to be at high risk for contracting COVID-19 and, subsequently, MIS-C. Often, medically fragile children will need additional in-home medical care post-infection and home health companies, such as BAYADA Pediatrics, can assist with those needs.
Because MIS-C symptoms can be similar to other illnesses, such as Kawasaki Disease (an illness causing blood vessels to become inflamed), or toxic shock syndrome, doctors must conduct a battery of tests to properly diagnose MIS-C. Consultation with other health care professionals specializing in infectious disease, cardiology, rheumatology, and critical care is often necessary to make an accurate and timely diagnosis. Diagnostic tests may include:
In this University of Michigan article, Christine Mikesell, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist who helped drive the MIS-C clinical guidelines at Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital said that MIS-C is sometimes diagnosed at the same time as COVID-19—not necessarily afterwards.
“This condition initially appeared to only be observed in children weeks after recovering from COVID-19 and who tested positive for antibodies, but now we’re also seeing cases where there’s an overlap—some children are showing signs of MIS-C at the same time as testing positive for COVID-19.”
Treatment for MIS-C depends on the symptoms the child has been exhibiting, as well as the results of the tests conducted. There are several treatment options for MIS-C, ranging from oxygen treatments, intravenous fluids to help reduce the inflammation in the body, medicines to help avoid blood clots and maintain the health of vital organs, as well as treatments to improve heart function and breathing. There are some cases, however, where some children may need to be treated in the hospital in an Intensive Care Unit.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, implementing best practices to avoid infection of the COVID-19 virus will help prevent being infected with MIS-C.
The good news is that most children will recover from MIS-C. While some studies—such as the one published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Journal (May 2021)—noted that a small number of children who had severe MIS-C symptoms still had problems six months post-infection, long-term damage to organs is rare.
The medical community and researchers continue to work in conjunction with the CDC to learn more about risk factors and improved treatments and diagnostics for MIS-C.
The experts at BAYADA Pediatrics are always available to help. Please do not hesitate to call us at (888) 340-3222 if you need assistance for your child.