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Behaviour sequelae following acute Kawasaki disease
Daniel Carlton-Conway1, Raju Ahluwalia, Lucy Henry
1Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Trust, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' Street, London, SE1 9RT, UK. Robert.Tulloh@ubht.swest.nhs.uk
BMC Pediatrics
|May 27, 2005
Summary
Children with Kawasaki disease (KD) show higher rates of behavioral issues, including internalizing problems and total difficulties, compared to controls. Long-term follow-up is crucial for managing these potential sequelae.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Neuropsychology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis affecting children.
- Cerebral function can be acutely impacted by Kawasaki disease.
- Behavioral and social parameters in affected children require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess behavioral and social parameters in children with a history of Kawasaki disease.
- To compare behavioral outcomes in Kawasaki disease patients with control groups.
- To identify potential long-term effects of Kawasaki disease on child behavior.
Main Methods:
- Parents of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease completed behavior screening questionnaires.
- A cohort of 65 Kawasaki disease patients was analyzed.
- Two control groups were utilized: hospital controls and sibling controls.
Main Results:
- 40% of Kawasaki disease patients exhibited elevated internalizing scores, compared to 18% of hospital controls and 13% of sibling controls.
- Kawasaki disease patients reported significantly greater overall difficulties (13.7) versus hospital (8.6) and sibling controls (8.9).
- Specific behavioral issues in Kawasaki disease patients included higher scores for somatic problems, withdrawn traits, thought problems, conduct issues, and social interaction difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Kawasaki disease is associated with significant behavioral sequelae.
- These behavioral outcomes necessitate consideration in the long-term management of Kawasaki disease.
- Referral to a clinical psychologist may be beneficial for selected patients.