Texas DSHS notified of suspected cases of COVID-related syndrome in children

Health experts explain what multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is

SAN ANTONIO – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said to contact your child’s doctor if they are showing symptoms of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

What is MIS-C?

The CDC said MIS-C is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed.

What are the symptoms of MIS-C?

Some symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and bloodshot eyes.

According to the CDC, they do not yet know what causes this. However, it reports many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19 or had been around someone with COVID-19.

“If a family has had an exposed family member and their child now of two to four to six weeks later has new fevers and is not looking well and has other symptoms, they really need to reach out to their pediatricians,” said Dr. Eyal Muscal, Chief of Rheumatology at Texas Children’s Hospital and member of Texas Pediatric Society.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said they have been notified of a few suspected cases, but none of those cases have been confirmed.

Doctor Muscal said he has been treating children with symptoms that are also found in the rare condition MIS-C.

“Because the criteria that the Centers for Disease Control put out last week, almost a week now, are very nonspecific. So, a variety of illnesses can actually look like MIS-C,” Dr. Muscal said.

Doctor David Kimberlin, professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics Red Book said he has spoken with several doctors taking care of children who are experiencing symptoms of MIS-C.

“When children do have this in those rare situations, they're, they're really quite sick and they head to, almost always head to the intensive care unit. They tend to bounce back pretty quick. But for the most part, although not in all situations,” Dr. Kimberlin.

As the CDC and health experts continue to learn about the MIS-C and how it affects children, the doctors said parents should not panic.

“Children we do recognize are a lot less likely to be infected with the COVID virus. Only about 2 percent of all the people being reported right now as infected are children,” Kimberlin said.

The CDC said they have a team investigating and working with scientists, health care providers, and other partners to learn more about this syndrome.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also has more information on MIS-C.


About the Authors:

Tiffany Huertas is a reporter for KSAT 12 known for her in-depth storytelling and her involvement with the community.