Baystate Children’s Hospital Issues A Warning For Pediatricians

As if parents don't have enough to be concerned with during the ongoing pandemic, now there's something else to potentially add to the list. In a report published by MassLive yesterday, Baystate Children's Hospital in Springfield is warning pediatricians to be "on the lookout" for patients that have symptoms that are associated with an acute inflammatory condition that has been linked with COVID-19.

Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome, or PIMS, is apparently very rare, but is potentially fatal. In New York state, many cases have been reported in children who have tested positive for COVID-19 or its antibodies.

The chief of infectious diseases at Baystate, Dr. Donna Fisher, said that pediatricians should be on the lookout for "patients with the following symptoms – persistent fever, abdominal pain including diarrhea or vomiting, rash or changes in skin color, difficulty breathing, confusion and sleepiness."

So far, Baystate Children's Hospital has only seen a few patients with this syndrome which Dr. Fisher called "a rare occurence."

There is much more information to be found in the official news report on the MassLive website. We thank them for the information and getting the word out. And of course, many thanks to the pediatricians and doctors and nurses in general, for working so passionately and diligently on the frontlines during this crisis. Your compassion and caring have not gone unnoticed.