IL Children Hospitalized With Rare Coronavirus-Linked Condition

CHICAGO, IL — Several Illinois children have been hospitalized with a rare inflammatory illness related to coronavirus, according to media reports. The illness, similar to Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation in some blood vessels, can cause rash, fever, red eyes, swollen hands and feet, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The illness can also cause cardiovascular systems and inflammation of the muscles of the heart as well as what's known as "strawberry tongue," a swollen, bumpy tongue.

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The syndrome has been seen in children in New York, New Jersey, California and Europe.

According to the Chicago Tribune, at least six cases of the illness, believed to be caused by the immune system attacking normal tissue, have been diagnosed or suspected in the Chicago area:

• Advocate Children's Hospital, which has locations in Oak Lawn and Park Ridge, has reported one case of the illness and two more children who are showing signs of it
• Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago has seen at least three children who likely had the illness

The child with the confirmed case of the illness at Advocate was on a ventilator but is now "doing remarkably well," a doctor told the Tribune, and the three children at Comer are also reportedly doing well.

In New York, where at least 64 children have been affected, officials are referring to the illness as "Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19." Although some children who have coronavirus show only mild symptoms, the inflammatory illness can show up days or weeks after a child has contracted COVID-19.

New York reported its first pediatric death connected to the illness on Friday, according to the New York Times. The only other known death associated with the syndrome was a 14-year-old boy in England, the Times reported.

Parents should contact their pediatrician if their child begins showing symptoms.

Alex Costello, Patch Staff, contributed to this article