What Medical Condition Has Bright Red Lips as a Symptom?

Bright red lips is a common symptom of Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki disease is a condition in which children develop inflammation of their blood vessels. This disease is also the leading cause of heart disease in young children.

Background

• Kawasaki diease occurs in patients who are generally younger than age of 5. Most of those affected tend to by boys rather than girls. The disease has not been reasearched very much and little is known about it at this point, according to The Nemours Foundation's Kid Health website.

Causes

• This cause of the illness has yet to be discovered. The only possibility at this point is that it is an autoimmune disorder that affects the lympth nodes, heart, blood vessels and mucous membranes.

Symptoms

• The first sign that a child has Kawasaki disease is a fever that can be as high as 104 degrees, which lasts at least five days. Other symptoms of the disease include red eyes, red mucous membanes, red-colored hands, swelling in the hands or feet, rashes on the skin that don't appear to have blisters and the bright red, cracked lips.

Treatment

• Those who suspect they have Kawasaki disease must go to the hosptial immedietly. Intavenous gamma globulin is the standard treatment given for the diease. Even with treatment, the child may still develop further coronary problems.

Warning

• At the first signs of Kawasaki disease, call a health care provider immedietly. Fast reaction and early prevention can help decrease the chances of future coronary problems in the young child.