‘People are afraid to go to the hospital, but it’s not worth the risk’

Hannah, who is now four-years-old, on the right with her twin brother Peadar on the left and older sister Elsie.

Up to 100 children in the UK have been affected by a rare inflammatory disease linked to coronavirus.

The symptoms are similar to Kawasaki Disease and it has proved fatal for some of the children.

Hannah Harrigan was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease just days before her second birthday and has thankfully made a full recovery.

The rash all over Hannah's back. It was a student doctor who first raised the possibility that the toddler had Kawasaki Disease, a rare condition that affects children under five.

It is a rare condition that mainly affects children under five and symptoms include a consistently high temperature for five days or more, a rash, swollen glands in the neck, dry or cracked lips, red fingers or toes and red eyes.

Hannah’s mum Sarah said that the first symptom Hannah had was the rash.

“Hannah was kind of off form to begin with. She went really into herself, and then she got the rash. We had just come back from my brother’s wedding in Spain and we just assumed it was something she picked up when we were travelling.”

Sarah, who is originally from Derry but now lives in Burnfoot with her family, said that the rash became more severe and Hannah developed a temperature which ‘just would not settle’.

The rash was all over Hannah's body. She received treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital and then was transferred to Dublin for a heart scan.

The family sought medical attention and doctors put the symptoms down to a viral infection.

“Initially I wasn’t overly concerned because I knew with a viral infection we would have to ride it out. But within 24 hours Hannah deteriorated. The rash got worse, nothing was bringing her temperature down and we started to worry. We took her back to the doctors.”

Sarah said that a junior doctor who saw Hannah raised the possibility of Kawasaki Disease because she noticed that the toddler’s eyes were very red.

“We were sent to the Paediatric ward in Letterkenny Hospital for 24 hours’ observation and Hannah began to perk up. She was drinking and having while craic with the auxiliary nurses, so they discharged us.

Kawasaki Disease causes swelling of the blood vessels throughout the body. It causes a high fever and rash. It can also affect the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle. Hannah had swelling, the tell tale rash and a consistent temperature.

“I was glad to get her home and she was fine for a couple of hours, but then she went downhill again.”

Hannah was admitted to hospital again and blood tests showed that her inflammatory markers were very high. They were concerned that she did have Kawasaki Disease and they waited to see if she developed the final symptom of a strawberry tongue.”

As soon as Hannah developed this she was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

Kawasaki Disease needs to be treated promptly so the recovery time is quicker and there is less risk of complications developing. “It was very scary for us as we were told it was very serious and giving her the IVIG it could affect other things and there were risks, particularly to the heart.

“We were transferred to Dublin by ambulance the following day for Hannah to have a heart scan. Kawasaki inflamed the vessels and the heart is the biggest vessel in the body. It can cause serious damage, but thankfully Hannah hasn’t been left with any of that.

“Hannah was in hospital for five nights because we had to wait for the inflammatory markers to come down. She spent her second birthday in hospital away from her twin Peadar so it was sad.

“She had a follow up heart scan about six months later and got the all clear.”

Now four, Sarah said Hannah is ‘flying’ and very much ‘the boss’ of their house.

Sarah shared her family’s experience with Kawasaki on social media at the weekend and it got a huge response.

“Now it has reared it’s head again I am on my nerves to be honest, but from what I have read Hannah has as much chance of getting it as any other child. Just because she has had it before doesn’t mean there is a higher chance of getting it again.

“I wanted to make people aware of the symptoms because if it wasn’t for that student doctor putting Kawasaki Disease on our radar I dread to think what could have happened because it is so rare,” Sarah said.

“Letterkenny Hospital at the time told us they would only see about four cases of it a year, but I understand is it spiking now in the UK and Europe. I just wanted to let people know if you have any concerns and your child has any of the symptoms please, please seek medical advice.

“I know a lot of people don’t want to with everything that is going on. People are afraid to go to the doctors or the hospital, but it’s not worth the risk.”