The Rate Of Covid-19 Related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) In Children is Skyrocketing

One of the most vulnerable groups throughout the Covid-19 pandemic has been the pediatric population. Reasons for this are numerous, including the fact that until recently, Covid-19 vaccinations were not available for children.

A very serious condition that infectious disease specialists noted early during the pandemic was Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a potentially deadly condition caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that “Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, we know that many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. MIS-C can be serious, even deadly, but most children who were diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.”

The organization has even released a guidance page on how to recognize the syndrome, which includes symptoms such as “ongoing fever PLUS more than one of the following: stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rash, blood shot eyes, dizziness or lightheadedness,” among other qualifying criteria.

Recognizing and understanding this syndrome has never been more important, as Covid-19 cases are skyrocketing in the U.S., due in large part to the extremely virulent Omicron variant. Per CDC data to date, nearly 6,400 children have been diagnosed with MIS-C, with nearly 55 fatalities. The CDC data graph also indicates that surges in MIS-C cases lag right behind Covid-19 cases; that is, if there’s a Covid-19 case surge, then a corresponding MIS-C case surge should be expected in the following weeks.

Many hospitals around the country are now facing a desperate situation, juggling with shortages of supplies, resources, healthcare professionals, and beds for sick patients. Pediatric hospitalizations are also on the rise, alarming experts that another surge of MIS-C is soon to come. Undoubtedly, Covid-19 vaccinations that have been approved for certain pediatric populations thus far have been a huge source of relief for concerned parents worldwide, providing hope of increased protection against the virus and its corresponding long-term health effects.

Indeed, time will tell what this current surge of Omicron related Covid-19 will entail and the corresponding impact it will have on MIS-C case counts. For now, however, public health experts and organizational leaders must continue to emphasize the seriousness of this virus and methods to continue fighting it.