Kawasaki Syndrome: The Warning Signs

The Internet is awash with rumors over the cause of the tragic death of actor John Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, who died January 2. I don't want to rehash the arguments over whether Travolta and his wife's belief in Scientology influenced the family's healthcare decisions. But amidst all the to-and-fro stands a startling bit of medical history: Jett, who had chronic health problems including seizures, had been seriously ill with Kawasaki syndrome as a toddler.

Something else for parents to worry about? Doctors who treat children with Kawasaki say it's highly unlikely that the mysterious ailment had anything to do with the teenager's death, because the heart damage typical of the disease happens soon after symptoms start. A 2007 Taiwanese study found that 43 percent of children who were diagnosed 10 days or more after the fever started suffered coronary artery problems, compared with 14 percent of children diagnosed earlier.

Keep reading...

Comments

[Leslib]

Hmmmm..I say this is the business of the heartbroken parents and not for the world to judge. Move along, folks, nothing to see here and it's none of your business.

[radical1]

No matter why or how it happened, it is devastating for parents to have a child die, and it will be with them all of the rest of their lives. I know. Whether it could have been prevented, or whether there is blame, it still hurts forever, and I feel unlimited empathy for the family. Maybe they won't ever know of persons who might take a different direction in caring for their child. We will never understand these things about life.

[JohnnyL]

Scientology killed this poor young man. Let's stop farting around and call a spade a spade. It's a spade, O.K.?

[berrycooda]

Don't know why people keep blaming this on Scientology.
People who belong to that group stated that they don't withhold
medical care.

Christian Scientists are the group who don't believe in
medical care or blood transfusions etc.

Quit trying to analyze this.

When God says it is time....then that is it. So give it a rest.

[elliegrl]

You honestly take what someone says as truth without doing a tad of research or googling in your own? I feel horrible for them, but even more so for Jett. Search ex Scientology kids for some reading.

[WilliamBudd]

Richard Nixon said he wasn't a crook.
Charles Manson said he had nothing to do with the Tate murder.
Virtually every convict in prison claims innocence.
Do you believe them as well?
You picked the wrong website to tell readers to "Quit trying to analyze this".

By your standard of proof we should let them all go and give it a rest. That doen't work for me.

[fdrdemo]

It's pretty clear that he has some form of autism. (I've known several people with the condition, including a family member, and they've several distinct physical features that seem to match this child's.) And if his parents ignored any valid psychological treatments that could have helped that condition due to their religion, that's a shame. That said, I fail to see how that disease or this other one under discussion related to his unfortunate death.

[whatevahs]

Uh oh, watch out! the others will line up to attack you now.

[peacekitten]

my deepest sympathies to this family. it is a most unnatural thing for a parent to bury a child. i can't even imagine their devastation. perhaps in time they will come to realize he will always be with them, just in a different way.

requiescat in pace.

[berrycooda]

This shouldn't even be a subject for discussion.

Why does the media and people in general feel that it is their right to
poke into other people's private lives.

The Travolta family kept to themselves before this happened and it is really mean to
keep making comments about it.

Let it go and say a prayer for the family. They are grief stricken over this.

[DaisyDooks]

Amen!!!

[whatevahs]

They have the same rights to privacy and the Palins and the McCains. And let's review how many stories have run here about THEIR personal lives.

[janmarbol]

who died in the Palin/McCain families and was SO disgustingly disrespected like in this case?

[janmarbol]

and AMEN again!

[Lawguy07]

Look at that kid's face. Clearly none of his engines were firing. That explains the crash landing in the tub. Kawasaki my butt........

[DaisyDooks]

Whadayah mean, Lawguy? Was this an a-u-t-i-s-t-i-c child? Just curious.

[deeppeace]

Lawguy AND medicineguy, too?

[katedog]

Jett Travolta looked obese or close to it - much larger than the pictures shown here. Was this a symptom of his disease?

[whatevahs]

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/kawasaki.html

Signs and Symptoms
Kawasaki disease can't be prevented, but usually has telltale symptoms and signs that appear in phases.

The first phase, which can last for up to 2 weeks, usually involves a persistent fever higher than 104° Fahrenheit (39° Celsius) and lasts for at least 5 days.

Other symptoms that typically develop include:

severe redness in the eyes
a rash on the stomach, chest, and genitals
red, dry, cracked lips
swollen tongue with a white coating and big red bumps
sore, irritated throat
swollen palms of the hands and soles of the feet with a purple-red color
swollen lymph nodes
During the second phase, which usually begins within 2 weeks of when the fever started, the skin on the hands and feet may begin to peel in large pieces. The child also may experience joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. If your child shows any of these symptoms, call your doctor.

[whatevahs]

That Jett was loved and a sweet child is no mystery. That his death was tragic and heart-wrenching for his parents is not to be questioned.
But if this tragedy can at least bring attention to the dangers of ignoring medical experts to save face for your "religious beliefs", then hopefully his death was for nothing. While the Travoltas keep saying that their son suffered from Kawasaki Syndrome, it is painfully obvious for anyone who has worked with autistic and developmentally disabled children and adolescents that Jett suffered from something other than Kawasaki syndrome. I personally find it disturbing as a parent that anyone would sacrifice their child's health while denying the true ailment just so they can adhere to some cult beliefs that deny the existence of psychological and developmental diseases and disorders that have been diagnosed and successfully treated for centuries.
I truly hope that the Travoltas will take a huge step back and realize just how much their loyalty to Scientology has cost them and come to their senses before they lose their precious little daughter as well.

[andvoodoo2]

Wow. You write as though you have some inside scoop on the real ailment of Jett Travolta. How do you "know" what is "painfully obvious" to you? How do you know that the Travolta's link to Scientology had anything to do with his d e a t h?

Do tell. And, provide reputable sources and links so we can all check your "facts".

[whatevahs]

OK, for starters, I spent the first ten years of my career providing mental health and behaivoral health services to special needs children on the windward side of Oahu including those with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, TBI (that's Traumatic Brain Injury), ADD, ADHD, etc. My degree is in counseling psychology with specialized training in behavioralism and cognitive behavioral therapy. I currently hold membership in various organizations including the National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists and the National Mental Health Association.
Oh, and as for reputable sources and links, how about these?:
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/?gclid=CPyXys3B_pcCFQv7agodb2D_Dw

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/seizures_emergencies/article_em.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/9672/seizure.html

http://www.aane.org/

[whatevahs]

At what point in my original post did I state concretely that the Travoltas were directly responsble for Jett's death? I never said that. Show me one direct quote from my posting in which I say they are responsible for his death.

[Vincero]

i agree with the other poster that you are reckless.

to accuse the parents of in effect killing their own child is beyond the pale.

what goes around comes around.
the energy you put out to hurt these people will strike when you least expect it.

save yourself.

[whatevahs]

What accusation did I make? Did you actually read my post? Next time, try getting all the info before you jump to conclusions.

[bluevalentine]

Jett was treated with seizure medications until it stopped working over time. The Travolta's have every right to raise their children with their beliefs, the same way most families do. Maybe Jett could have received therapy...but that would have no effect on seizures. They raised that lovely boy with a lot of love per anyone who knew the family. They are a beautiful family and my heart goes out to them.

[moAb]

Depakote, the medication Jett Travolta was on, became less and less effective according to interviews with the family. Other medications may have been ineffective or have been used before depakote and also become ineffective. Evaluating the cause of seizures is very difficult, often unfruitful. Just localizing the "epileptogenic focus" in the brain can be difficult if not impossible. It may be that Jett Travolta's physicians could not locate such a focus in his brain and thus were left with no good treatments. Had they found one, a drastic neurosurgical treatment may have been all that could be offered this boy and his family.
Living with such a terrible dilemma was bad enough for the family. That he died is crushing and will haunt them forever.

[Merrillicious]

"Centuries"??? What the hell are you talkin' about???

[whatevahs]

The study of psychology in philosophical context dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, and India. Psychology began adopting a more clinical and experimental approach under medieval Muslim psychologists and physicians, who built psychiatric hospitals for such purposes.

[Honour]

whatevahs: It is disturbing to me that you seem to think that your experience in counseling, etc. gives you the right to label any given group as a "cult" in order to justify your (pre-)judgemental comments here regarding Scientology and Jett Travolta and his parents. It is sorely irresponsible for someone with your "qualifications" to publicly denounce these people (your last paragraph makes some horrible and misleading implications) - realize the damage you could do with your reckless, paranoid assertions!

I notice you do not answer "andvoodoo2"'s question asking how you know if anything regarding Jett's death was connected to Scientology . . . could it be that you have no defensible answer because you have made a hateful assumption, without proof or foundation?

Please look inside for some compassion - "as a parent" - for this family, before you embarrass yourself with any further ignorant, prejudiced comments about good people who have suffered a tragic loss.

[RL9632]

I think the point this poster was making about Scientology was that this "religion" may be causing other families to deny medical care to the children and family members.

In my opinion, that is foolish and probably negligent.

[whatevahs]

Well, as far as I have seen on this site there are a lot of people here with no credentials at all who go about labeling others. And as for calling Scientology a cult, I'm not incorrect. In fact, while I was working for a public high school I once tried to do a search for Scientology when a student came to me asking help in researching the group. When I tried to google it on the school computer, it was blocked due to it being considered a "cult".
And you should really try reading posts before you make accusations. I did respond to "andvoodoo2"'s questions. I never said there was a direct connection between Jett's death and Scientology. Again, READ.

[whatevahs]

Here's a nice article from TIME magazine you should really read:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972865,00.html

[AlsoSarah]

This was a child that was loved. I find it apalling that it is all over the tabloid shows. I hope the entertainment media back off and give these poor parents a break and let them grieve.

[MillaRSC]

Under the same circumstanced my friends lost their son, but, we were there to help them go through the time that any parent refuse to imagine...Not to question them, not to play doctors...
Travoltas are caring people, loving parents, why is this time for rumors?
Please, don't add to their pain....

[Culturemaven]

I don't see rumors as much as I see speculation. These are high profile celebrities who have claimed Scientology has improved their health. Most people have never heard of Kawasaki Syndrome and are curious about it. Initial reports suggested seizures were part of this disorder, which isn't true. Seizures are more commonly associated with autism, which the Travoltas deny their son had. Scientology has a very negative view of this condition and could certainly affect how the boy was treated.
I think it's fine to discuss it openly, if only to get the facts out there and shed light on Scientology's view of diseases, syndromes, and conditions.
I don't think that people discussing these matters on an open forum in any way detracts from the sympathy and sadness people feel for this family and the loss of their beloved son.
Just my opinion.

[LaurieLee]

I am not a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but a friend of mine who is both pointed out to me that Jett was often photographed looking into people's eyes, smiling, and quite engaged with people. She thought he had developmental issues probably, but not autism. I would guess (not an expert, a couple of grad level medical genetics classes, no clinical training) that he had an undiagnosed and perhaps even unnamed disorder that caused developmental delays and seizures. It's the set of his facial features and smile, etc that would make me guess that. He seemed very loving and quite loved in the photos I've seen.

[postman606]

Are you kidding? Seizure disorder can be attached to more diseases, syndromes, conditions than I can list.

[blastit]

actually I remember some years ago maybe 10 or 11 of reading about Travolta's son being taken mysteriously ill and later being dignoised with Kawasaki disorder before that his son looked like a normal kid I don't think they are lying...

[ibivi]

I haven't seen anything that indicates the cause of his seizures. However, I did see a report which indicated that they were having difficulties with the medication he was taking. He was taken off that medication. It appears to be a decision his parents made. Whether they were getting medical advice is not clear. His seizures came back when he stopped taking medication. That is always a risk. My condolences to the Travolta family.

[andvoodoo2]

The medication stopped working as is very common with seizure medication.

[whatevahs]

But even if it did stop working, a Dr. would most likely prescribe something else or at least alter the dosage to a lower amount. My understanding is that people who practice scientology take their advice from other scientologists over reputable medical professionals.
Sad.

[frantaylor]

The drugs used to prevent seizures are also used as antidepressants.

[andvoodoo2]

Rarely. You are relying on out of date medical practices. There are many good anti-depressants out today that have no effect on seizures.

[postman606]

You don't know what you're talking about. Although there are indeed many other anti-depressants, Depakote is an anti-convulsant, and is an anti depressant. That is one of the drugs Jett was taking.

[NoSillyName]

Depakote is prescribed for depression and for bi-polar disorder as well as for seizures, conditions the COS does not acknowledge.

Remember not only TC's rants, especially against B Shields for taking medication for PPD, but the ongoing crusade against psychiatric drugs.

Just makes me wonder and I'd like to think I'm free to express my concern without getting jumped.

[DVSDVS]

I'm a pediatric ER physician. Kawasaki disease in a nutshell - CRASH and Burn

C = Conjunctivitis (no goop, just bright red eyes)
R = rash (can be anywhere, is usually not itchy or painful, usually flat red or pink splotches)
A = adenopathy, the fancy medical term for swollen lymph nodes - usually just one in the neck (this is the least commonly present criteria)
S = Strawberry tongue, cracked red lips
H = Hand and feet that are swollen
Burn = fever daily for at least 5 days

Another feature that is virtually always present is that the child is VERY IRRITABLE, just grumpy as all get out.

The symptoms will go away on their own but untreated, it often leads to potentially fatal coronary artery aneurysms. There is no definitive test for this disease - we use the diagnostic criteria and supportive lab data. It is treated with something called IVIG - basically an antibody against antibodies - and aspirin.

Bottom line - if your kiddo (almost always

[Lalita]

Really helpful. Where's the rest of it>

[Acleacius]

Damn this Huffington text limit per post.

Finally someone one with real medical knowledge has posted, only to have there post cut off. (sigh) (facepalm)

At least they seem to be letting people post today, whom aren't cultist, well if this message gets out.

People are asking questions because they are concerned and care. A few years back when the christian science extremists prayed over their daughter whom they refused to give real medical care or proper medication. Did these same people come out saying How Dare you question these peoples medical beliefs? No they didn't. The parents were found guilty.

Why? Because when religion interferes with basic human rights, it's societies responsibility to step in and help. Just like we in the US don't let christians burn women as witches any more or muslems stone women. Children don't have the ability to defend themselves against religious extremism.

If you don't like having the public concerned about the safety of innocent women and children (men for that matter too) then your part of the problem and most likely have something to hide.

[Swerinjer4]

obsession with motorcycles.