New information about the novel coronavirus continues to emerge, and now, scientists are investigating a condition that appears to be associated with COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there have been several cases of children being diagnosed with a multisystem inflammatory syndrome, known as MIS-C, which is associated with the disease. Parents in Wales recently encountered MIS-C when one of their twin babies came down with it, while the other remained unscathed by the illness.
Hannah Godwin noticed her 5-month-old daughter, Leia, had a rash and fever.
Yet her twin sister, Thea, appeared "happy and healthy." Godwin rushed Leia to Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, Wales, and that's when her temperature spiked, reports Yahoo! Life.
Medical staff also found a "pin-prick rash on her feet," the mother noted.
Doctors began treating her for sepsis and meningitis, but over the next several days, she had difficulty breathing and was transferred to critical care.
"She went through a really, really scary time," said Godwin. "It just went really out of hand, really quickly."
After the baby girl's arteries were found to be significantly swollen, Godwin was told a rupture could claim her daughter's life.
Yahoo reports that Leia was transferred to the specialist Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales in Cardiff, where she tested positive for antibodies to the coronavirus and was treated in isolation.
That's when the pieces of the puzzle started to come together.
"When doctors kept using the term 'linked to coronavirus' to me, I was getting frustrated when she's never had it," said Godwin. "But they did an antibodies test and it came back positive, meaning at some point in the last five months she has had it but was asymptomatic."
This led Leia's doctors to believe that she had MIS-C.
The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that MIS-C has been compared to another rare childhood condition, Kawasaki disease, because it shares some of the same symptoms, which include a fever lasting more than 24 hours; abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting; rash or changes in skin color; trouble breathing; confusion or sleepiness.
Thankfully, the baby is now out of intensive care and on the road to recovery.
Doctors hope to see if her twin sister has the antibodies for COVID-19 and, if so, to further investigate why her body reacted differently.
For now, Godwin is thankful she caught her daughter's symptoms early.
"God knows what could have happened if she hadn't had the treatment she had early on," the mom told Yahoo. "I'm so glad we noticed the difference in the girls."
And according to the family's Facebook page, Leia is now home and reunited with her sister.
What to do if you notice any of the symptoms associated with MIS-C in your child, according to the AAP:
Call your pediatrician and let her know if your child has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to the virus. Then, your pediatrician will let you know you if your child can be seen in the office or if you need to go to the emergency department.
