Learning about Kawasaki Disease
If your child is having a high fever and peeling skin, chances are your child may have Kawasaki disease.
Kawasaki disease is an illness that causes inflammation in the walls of medium- sized arteries throughout the body and this disease primarily affects the children.
The inflammation caused by this disease may impact the coronary arteries, which is responsible in supplying blood to the heart.
This disease is sometimes called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome as it affects glands that swell while there is an infection such as lymph nodes, skin, the mucous membranes, located in the mouth, nose, and throat.
Good news is that Kawasaki disease can be treated and most patients recover from this so-called Kawasaki disease without having to suffer complications.
The symptoms of this Kawasaki disease may appear in three phases and these are the signs and symptoms.
- The first phase may include high-grade fever that lasts for three (3) days, characterized by extremely red eyes without thick discharge, a rash on the main part of the body and in the genital area; red, dry, cracked lips, swollen tongue, swollen and red skin on the palms and the soles, swollen lymph nodes, and irritability.
- In the second phase, the signs and symptoms are peeling of the skin, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
- In the third phase the signs and symptoms may already fade away unless there would be complications.
It is best to consult a doctor if the child has high-grade fever that has been happening for three (3) days.
No one knows what is causing Kawasaki disease but medical experts say that this illness is not contagious but here are some theories about the Kawasaki disease:
- Medical experts say that it is possible that bacteria may the reason for this disease.
- Other experts say that this illness may be linked to environmental factors, but none of the theories have been proven.
- Some theories say that certain genes may cause Kawasaki disease in children.
The risk factors may include age, sex, and ethnicity. Young children are at risk of Kawasaki disease, as boys are more likely to get infected with this. Asians are more prone to suffer from this disease, too.
The complications of this disease may include inflammation of blood vessels, inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of coronary arteries that can lead to the weakening and bulging of artery wall otherwise known as aneurysm.
The complications may be life-threatening as it these may lead to internal bleeding.
A small portion of children who develop coronary artery problems and these may lead to death even with treatment.
Arginine and Vitamin K2
Arginine is a type of Amino Acid that is important for regulating blood flow. Moreover, it plays an important role in the stimulation and activation of immune mediators, in the stimulation of growth hormone secretions and it is also a precursor for the synthesis of body tissues.
Arginine stimulates the multiplication of cells at the growth plate to promote linear growth. A study showed that dietary arginine consumption was associated with increased growth velocity in children. It reported an increased of 0.33 cm additional growth when the food intake is high in Arginine. The following foods are rich in Arginine: nuts and seeds, meat products, legumes, and seaweeds.
Vitamin K-2 promotes healthy bone mineral density by carboxylating osteocalcin, a protein that binds calcium to bones. So vitamin K-2 is a key nutrient for bone growth that influences the mineralization of the bone. It is a key factor not only for osteocalcin but also for matrix gla protein, another important protein in bone structure.
While vitamin K1 is mostly found in leafy green vegetable, Vitamin K2 is rich in animal products and fermented foods. Liver, ,meat, egg yolks and high – fat dairy are rich sources of vitamin K2.
So, Arginine and Vitamin K2 are two nutrients that play a vital role for bone development thus able to achieve full linear growth.
Crown for Kids
(Part 2)
We continue our discussion on dental crown and giving these crowns for the children. We started with this topic last Sunday.
A dental crown is a restoration method that enables the coverage of the tooth, with the goal of restoring the teeth to its normal shape, function, size, and structure.
Dental crowns are pre-made that is why they are called pre-formed extra coronal restorations with the goal to strengthen and to improve the appearance of the tooth.
A dental crown is needed when the tooth is badly broken and having fillings are not enough to restore the damaged tooth.
Good dental crowns need to have the following characteristics:
a.) the dental crown should represent, match, and be proportionate to the natural form of the adjacent natural teeth especially that the crown should be able to restore the normal function and beauty of the tooth.
b.) the dental crown should restore the tooth’s masticatory functions.
c.) it should be biocompatible and economical.
d.) it should not be harmful to the gums and other teeth. .
There are indications for dental crowns for children and these are:
a.) the primary tooth has multi-carriers and has many surfaces.
b.) the primary molars have undergone pulp therapy.
c.) the high-risk carries children with rampant caries.
d.) the teeth have extensive enamel or dental developmental abnormalities
e.) the tooth is fractured
The contraindications are:
a.) the primary teeth are not restorable with amalgam and other restoration methods.
b.) the teeth that will exfoliate within a brief period.
c.) the stainless steel crown can be used as an abutment for a fixed space maintainer.
If the dental crown and loop retainer will be used in a child, follow-up examinations are important. The use needs continuous supervision and care.
The patient should be monitored, to avoid and to prevent problems in the normal eruptive process of the succedaneous tooth. The preformed dental crown will be used in the restoration of the tooth and not for orthodontic reasons such as space maintenance.
Next week we will be discussing the various preformed crowns as continuation of our discussion of dental crowns for children.