HJNO Jul/Aug 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS  I  JUL / AUG 2020 49 the best way to prevent against MIS-C is to prevent COVID-19, which we know in- cludes hand hygiene, social distancing, and masking. You may be wondering, now what? A child has MIS-C symptoms and parents seek medical care, but how is MIS-C treat- ed? Is there a cure? Currently, children with MIS-C are being treated with different therapies, including medications targeted at the body’s immune system and inflam- matory response. Children may receive other medications to protect their heart, kidneys, and other organs. Because MIS-C has been linked to COVID-19, hospitals will take infection control measures when treating a child with MIS-C. To date, Children’s Hospital New Or- leans has treated eight cases of MIS-C, and in all cases, the children have made full recoveries. The long-term effects of COVID-19 and MIS-C are still unknown, and the future is uncertain, but for now, the children have a good prognosis following MIS-C. Children’s Hospital, in accordance with the CDC’s guidelines, continues to re- port data of COVID-19 and MIS-C findings to the Louisiana Office of Public Health, and is participating in multi-institutional studies, consulting with peers, as experts Thomas Kimball, MD Heart Center Director & Chief of Pediatric Cardiology Children’s Hospital New Orleans drome in Children is a rare condition, kids who do get sick can become seriously ill. MIS-C, like other serious inflammatory conditions such as Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome, can cause prob- lems with the heart and other organs, so it is important for parents to know the signs and symptoms. Children with MIS-C often present with a fever of 100.4 degrees or greater lasting several days. Other symptoms include ir- ritability or decreased activity, abdominal pain without another explanation, diar- rhea, vomiting, rash, conjunctivitis (red or pink eyes), reduced appetite, red, cracked lips or bumpy tongue, and swollen hands and feet that can also appear red. If a child presents with these symptoms, namely a persistent fever in conjunction with anoth- er symptom, particularly severe abdom- inal pain, parents should call their child’s doctor immediately. While we are still learning about the burgeoning illness, it has been discovered that MIS-C is not contagious. But with a diagnosis of MIS-C, a child can also have been infected in the past with COVID-19, or another infection that may be commu- nicable. Because of this link between the virus and the inflammatory syndrome, around the country work together to learn more about this new syndrome While we cannot be sure if a second wave of community spread lies ahead, or if the pandemic will fizzle, we are forging into the future with the knowledge we have gained thus far in the coronavirus journey. By now, we are well acquainted with the protective steps to take against COVID-19, and in turn, MIS-C: temperature screen- ings, hand hygiene, wearing a mask, and social distancing. While the current healthcare climate is uncertain, and at times, scary, we are doing everything we can to help children, and those who care for them, navigate the coming months with confidence. n Dr. Thomas Kimball is the director of the heart center, and division chief of cardiology at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. A native of Oakland, California, he received an under- graduate degree at Stanford University, and went on to earn a medical degree from New York University. He then completed pediat- ric residency training at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, followed by a cardiology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Kimball remained at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, serving as an attending cardiolo- gist for 34 years. He is currently the Nelson K. Ordway Professor of Pediatrics at the LSU Health Center, and is board-certified in both pediatrics and pediatric cardiology “The long-term effects of COVID-19 and MIS-C are still unknown, and the future is uncertain, but for now, the children have a good prognosis following MIS-C.”