Rare syndrome that affects kids with COVID-19 crops up in Chippewa Valley

Dec. 31—CHIPPEWA FALLS — The best and only way to prevent a rare inflammatory syndrome that can impact kids who have recently had COVID-19 is to stop infection in the first place by taking precautions and getting vaccinated, medical experts say.

Two children in Chippewa County have contracted cases of a rare but serious inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19, the Chippewa County Department of Public Health announced this week.

A department spokesperson told the Leader-Telegram the cases were confirmed recently, and they are the first two in the county.

The children are between three and 12 years old. No other information about them will be disclosed to protect their privacy, the health department said.

There have also been cases of MIS-C among Eau Claire County children, though an Eau Claire City-County Health Department spokesperson didn't immediately have information on the number of cases.

While most kids who get COVID-19 will only be mildly ill, the inflammatory syndrome is "a rare but potentially life-threatening phenomenon," said Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, pediatric infectious diseases physician at Mayo Clinic's Children Center, in November: "Currently, there's no way to prevent that complication, except to prevent the initial COVID-19 infection itself."

There have been 143 cases of MIS-C in Wisconsin kids since May 2020, according to data from the state Department of Health Services. The average age of kids with MIS-C cases in Wisconsin is eight years old.

As of Nov. 30, there were about 6,000 cases of MIS-C in the United States and 52 deaths, according to the CDC. The majority — 98% — of kids with MIS-C tested positive for COVID-19; the remaining 2% had had contact with someone with COVID-19, the CDC said.

Wisconsin in September started seeing increasing cases of MIS-C, the DHS said last month. The agency expects cases to increase in the coming months.

MIS-C can cause body parts like the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain or skin to become inflamed and blood vessels to enlarge, according to UW Health. Symptoms caregivers should watch for are a fever that lasts several days, a rash, red eyes, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. Vomiting or diarrhea can also appear, said Dr. Ken Johnson, chief medical officer of Prevea Health.

Kids diagnosed with MIS-C need to be hospitalized for the right medical care; some may have to be admitted to ICUs, the state Department of Health Services said in November.

MIS-C symptoms usually appear two to six weeks after having COVID-19.

"If your child is severely sick with those symptoms, they should be evaluated immediately," Johnson said in a statement.

The cause of MIS-C isn't fully understood, but "appears to be a delayed immune system response in someone who had the COVID-19 virus," according to UW Health.

The syndrome can be serious or even deadly, but most children diagnosed with MIS-C have gotten better with medical care, the CDC said.

Parents should go to the nearest hospital or emergency room if a child is showing severe MIS-C warning signs, which include trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest that does not go away, discolored lips or face, an inability to wake up or stay awake, new confusion or severe abdominal pain, the Chippewa County health department said.

Experts say vaccines offer protection

Medical experts say vaccinating children against COVID-19 is by far the best way to prevent MIS-C.

Vaccination rates in the Chippewa Valley's overall population are sitting at 59% in Eau Claire County, 54% in Chippewa County and 46% in Dunn County.

Vaccination rates are much lower among younger children between five and 11 years old. In Eau Claire County 21% of 5- to 11-year-olds are fully vaccinated; in Chippewa County, 10% are; and in Dunn County, 11%, according to state data.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was first made available in November to children between five and 11 years old.