Kawasaki disease, collagen disease, immune disease

Our treatment policy

Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease is a vasculitis of unknown cause characterized by fever lasting for more than five days, skin rash, red eyes and lips, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and has been increasing in recent years. Because it can lead to cardiac complications and sequelae, proper diagnosis and treatment are essential. Incomplete forms of Kawasaki disease also exist that can cause cardiac complications, even though the symptoms are not fully consistent. Therefore, accurate diagnosis is essential through a combination of blood tests and cardiac ultrasounds. Our department works collaboratively with immunologists and cardiologists to treat and manage patients, administering immunoglobulin and, when necessary, steroids, in order to suppress inflammation as quickly as possible.

Collagen disease, autoimmune disease

Children can also develop rheumatoid arthritis and other collagen diseases and autoimmune disorders. However, these are rare diseases, and diagnosis and treatment require expertise and experience. Our department has several full-time rheumatology-certified specialists, a rare national feature in pediatrics, who provide specialized treatment. Childhood collagen diseases are often severe and require long-term treatment, so please feel free to consult us if you notice any suspicious symptoms, such as joint pain or cold hands and feet (Raynaud's phenomenon). Furthermore, as these diseases can also cause complications throughout the body, including the eyes and skin, we provide multidisciplinary treatment in collaboration with doctors from other departments.

Immunodeficiency, autoinflammatory disease

The most common cause of fever in children is infection, but in some cases the fever may persist or recur periodically. The underlying cause may be immunodeficiency or autoinflammatory disease, but these are extremely rare diseases, so most pediatricians nationwide have no experience treating them. Our department has several full-time doctors with experience at Kyoto University Hospital and other institutions who provide medical care. If special testing, including genetic testing, is required, we also collaborate with specialized university hospitals and research institutions.