SARASOTA, Fla. — First dad, then mom, and now the baby.
Jessica Lewellen says her 6-month-old son, David tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
She took him to the emergency room the minute she noticed a large rash on his torso.
"They did the swab, checked his lungs, ears, and throat because they said they’ve had a lot of kids that have had it with stuff like their throats being swollen and ears bothering them," said Lewellen.
So far, unlike Jessica and her husband, the only symptom David has is the rash, which has started to fade over the last few days.
"Everything came out clear, thank goodness so it’s just this rash. It’s crazy," she said.
Jessica and her husband tested positive earlier in June. Her husband thinks he might have gotten it at the gym or at work on a construction site.
Their other two kids haven't been tested but have not shown any symptoms.
Doctors warn that a rash could be a sign of Kawasaki disease which has a range of symptoms including high fever, inflammation of the eyes, mouth and throat, rashes, peeling skin and swelling throughout the arteries that lead to the heart.
Recently researchers have linked Kawasaki to coronavirus in children.
"There is a theory that maybe it is triggered by a viral infection and it doesn’t seem absolutely uncommon that we are seeing it now," said Dr. Claudia Espinosa, an associate professor at the University of South Florida and a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist.
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Kawasaki disease predominantly affects children five and younger, and it's more common in boys than girls. In extremely rare cases, it can happen during adolescence and adulthood.
Lewellen and her husband are keeping a close eye on their baby son over the next several weeks in case he shows any signs of Kawasaki disease.
Most of the time, if caught early enough, it can be treated without complication.
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