Acquired Heart Disease

Kawasaki Disease

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

If diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, your child will be given a high dose of gamma globulin (purified antibodies) intravenously (through an IV), which helps prevent damage to the coronary artery. In addition, aspirin therapy will be used to bring down your child's fever and ease the discomfort of other symptoms -- all of which usually begin to subside within 24 hours of treatment. Once your child's symptoms have diminished, he or she will continue to receive lower doses of aspirin to help lessen the risk of blood clots.

Although complications resulting from treatment and recurrences of the disease are rare, your child will need follow-up examinations to check for signs of heart damage.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007