Amid the current pandemic, the Iowa Department of Public Health has confirmed two cases of a rare pediatric inflammatory syndrome that develops after a child has possibly been infected with COVID-19.

The pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or PMIS, is similar to Kawasaki and toxic shock syndrome, and has now become a mandatory reportable disease in Iowa. Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says this condition has been seen in children who were infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus and recovered from it. He says the illness can cause inflammation in the blood vessels and can result in symptoms such as persistent fever, bright red eyes, whole body rash and swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, “If a child has any of these symptoms you should contact your healthcare provider and discuss the signs and symptoms because PMIS is a treatable disease. The flu or COVID-19 basically makes PMIS much worse and harder to treat of course because of the immunity being increased due to the fact that they had the virus.”

As with influenza, Kempf reminds the public that the best way to prevent children from getting infected is to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines of frequent hand washing, staying home when you are sick, and not bringing children along for errands when possible.