LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Children’s hospitals in the United States are dealing with a disease health professionals think might be a complication from COVID-19.

What You Need To Know


  • Doctors seeing possible side effect of coronavirus in children

  • Kawasaki Disease inflames blood vessels

  • Children who initially tested negative with COVID-19, retested and found to be positive

  • No cases in Kentucky

In late April, reports began emerging out of England about a hyper-inflammatory state being seen in children.

In one week, eight children became sick with a fever and exhibited symptoms of Kawasaki Disease.

“It inflames blood vessels inducing blood vessels that supply the heart,” said Dr. Kristina Brant, an infectious disease specialist with Norton Children’s Hospital. “Children can develop blisters or aneurisms on their coronary artery.”

What puzzled scientists were that the first time these children were tested for COVID-19, the results came back negative. But, that changed when a different test was issued.

“They were later tested with an antibody test, antibodies are the proteins our bodies make after an infection,” said Dr. Bryant. “It turns out the children did have COVID-19 infections.”

Multiple children’s hospitals, mostly on the East Coast, have been reporting children admitted with Kawasaki Disease. 

But, so far, there haven’t been any cases in Kentucky.

“Nobody who has Kawasaki or sick enough to go to the ICU,” said Dr. Bryant.

Dr. Bryant wants to remind parents that Kawasaki Disease is a rare complication of COVID-19. She says parents should keep the words of their primary care physicians to heart.

“Parents should follow the advice that their pediatricians gave them a few months ago before we had a single case of COVID-19 in the United States.”

Other symptoms for Kawasaki Disease include fever, rash, red eyes without drainage, red dry cracked lips, swollen hands, and feet.