Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: How to Care for Your Child

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious condition associated with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. It causes symptoms that are due to inflammation (irritation, pain, and swelling) throughout the body. While in the hospital, your child got medicines to treat inflammation and help the body heal. Your child is now well enough to be cared for at home.

• Give your child all medicines as prescribed by the hospital health care team.

• Follow up with your child's doctor within 2 to 3 days after discharge.

• Follow up with any specialists the hospital care team has asked you to see. Your child may need some checkups in the months after the illness, and may need blood tests or other tests (like echocardiograms) during the year after the illness. Specialists who your child may need to see include:

  • a cardiologist: a doctor who specializes in the heart and vascular system

  • a rheumatologist: a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect the bones, joints, and immune system

  • an infectious disease specialist

• Make sure your child avoids strenuous exercise and sports before seeing the cardiologist. The cardiologist may tell you that your child should avoid exercise and sports for a period of time.

• Speak to your child's doctor about vaccines:

  • Your child should get the flu vaccine every flu season. This is especially important for children who are on aspirin treatment. Getting the flu while on aspirin can increase their chances for a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.

  • If your child got a medicine called IVIG in the hospital, they should not get any "live" vaccines for 11 months.

  • COVID-19 vaccine is not yet recommended for children younger than 16, but it can be given to people 16 and older. This may change as research continues. 

Your child:

• is taking aspirin and is exposed to or has symptoms of the flu or chickenpox

• has a return of mild symptoms that had improved, or develops new mild symptoms

Your child:

• has severe belly pain or vomiting

• has pain or pressure in the chest

• is dizzy or complains of feeling faint

• has trouble breathing

• looks bluish in the lips or face

• can't wake up or can't stay awake

What causes MIS-C? MIS-C appears to be connected to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but doctors and researchers are still learning about it. It usually develops a few weeks after a child was infected with the virus, so it is thought to have something to do with how the immune system responds to it.

Is MIS-C contagious? The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is very contagious. But when a child has MIS-C, they usually are well past the contagious phase of the infection. There is no evidence right now that MIS-C is contagious.

Are any long-term problems associated with MIS-C? MIS-C is a newly described condition. So experts still don't know much about its long-term effects. MIS-C can affect different organs, including the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and kidneys. That's why children need to follow up closely with their primary care provider and specialists after they leave the hospital.

Can MIS-C be prevented? Experts don't know why some children get MIS-C after coronavirus infection and others don't. But they do know that the best way to prevent MIS-C is to prevent coronavirus infection. This means following public health guidelines during the pandemic, such as wearing masks in public, washing hands well and often, practicing social distancing, and avoiding crowds.

Where can I get more information about MIS-C? Find more information on MIS-C and COVID-19 at cdc.gov/mis-c/.