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Welcome to the Kawasaki Disease Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to Kawasaki Disease issues. The Kawasaki Disease Foundation is partnership of parents, patients, and professionals dedicated to advancing Kawasaki Disease issues. The Foundation focuses on awareness, support, and research.

Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as Kawasaki syndrome, is a serious illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body that primarily affects young children and infants.  Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children.  Although about 80 percent of patients are under five years of age, older children and teenagers can also get KD, but this is uncommon.  KD is more common in boys than girls, and the majority of cases are diagnosed in the winter and early spring. It is not contagious.

The disease is named after Tomisaku Kawasaki, a Japanese pediatrician who first described the illness in the medical literature in 1967.  Although it is more prevalent among children of Asian and Pacific Island descent, KD affects people of all racial and ethnic groups. It is estimated that more than 4,200 children are diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease in the U.S. each year. The cause of KD is unknown, although an agent, like a virus, is suspected.  There is no currently accepted scientific evidence that KD is caused by carpet cleaning or chemical exposure.

Kawasaki Disease is characterized by an inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body.  There is no specific test for KD; doctors make a clinical diagnosis based on a collection of symptoms and physical findings.  Early symptoms of KD include:
  • Fever that lasts for five or more days   
  • Rash, often worse in the groin area   
  • Red bloodshot eyes, without drainage or crusting   
  • Bright red, swollen, cracked lips, “strawberry” tongue, which appears with shiny bright red spots after the top coating sloughs off  
  • Swollen hands and feet and redness of the palms and soles of the feet   
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
Understandably, children with these symptoms are extremely uncomfortable and irritable. Any parent whose child has persistent fever and any of these symptoms should take him or her to the doctor immediately.

Without treatment, about 25% of children develop heart disease involving the coronary arteries.  Timely diagnosis and treatment (which usually includes intravenous gamma globulin) is highly effective in preventing coronary complications.  Doctors continue to study the long-term outcome of children who do not appear to have coronary involvement.  Other kinds of longer-term consequences (e.g., non-coronary) are extremely rare.  There is no evidence that links KD with autism or a seizure disorder. A very small number of KD children might have a seizure in the early acute stage of KD when there are very high fevers, but there is no on-going or long term seizure prone condition.
KD Parent Symposium Sept. 25, 2010 Print E-mail
Friday, 16 July 2010 15:05

The Kawasaki Disease Parent Symposium will be held on Saturday, September 25th from 9am - 12pm at the UC San Diego Price Center Theatre in La Jolla, California.  Click here for more details.

** Click here to register online **
 
Upcoming Gala Featured in the Rancho Santa Fe Review Print E-mail
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 13:44

The upcoming KD Gala in San Diego has been featured in the Rancho Santa Fe Review.  The story can be found here. The article is titled, "Local residents team up to host gala to raise funds for Kawasaki Disease research, endowed chair at UCSD"

 
 
KD Fund Raising Event in San Diego - Saturday, September 25, 2010 Print E-mail
Monday, 24 May 2010 15:05

Save the Date for a Gala to Benefit Kawasaki Disease, the #1 cause of acquired heart disease in children!  Click here to download the event flyer.

When: Saturday, September 25th, 2010, 5:30 to 10:00 pm
Where: La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California

Purchase tickets online:

Tickets


Tickets are $200.00 each, and $100 extra per person to enjoy our VIP Reception/Meet and Greet the Celebs (from 5:00pm to 5:30pm).

To become a sponsor or order tickets over the phone, please contact our KD moms at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (858) 205-3113, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (858) 245-3379.

An article featuring this event has been published here.
 
Kawasaki Disease Gala to Raise Funds for Research Print E-mail
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 12:30

See photos and read more about it here. The KD Foundation recorded the KD symposium at UCSD and the video will be posted as soon as it is available.
 
Brian Littrell & Family on Larry King Live Print E-mail
Friday, 02 January 2009 00:00

Click here to view the video of Brian Littrell & his family interviewed on Larry King Live.
 
Article on KD Long Term Health Print E-mail
Tuesday, 04 March 2008 00:00
Interesting article on health of KD patients long term.  Click here to read.
 
Seattle Children's Hospital Research Study Print E-mail
Monday, 21 July 2008 00:00
Researchers at Seattle Children’s Hospital are leading a research study looking at the role hereditary or genetic factors play in Kawasaki Disease. Specifically, they would like to find out why some children with Kawasaki Disease respond to intravenous gamma globulin quicker than others. If you are interested in participating, please contact the Research Coordinator: Mary Beth Lee at (206) 884-5153 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
Video from KD Parent Symposium Print E-mail
Thursday, 03 December 2009 08:56
You can view the November 2009 KD Foundation-sponsored Parent Symposium in its entirety online.  The video is split into a series of 19 parts.  Click here to view the series.
 
Press Release Print E-mail
Tuesday, 06 January 2009 00:00
Kawasaki Disease Foundation Press Release: What is Kawasaki Disease?  Click here to download.
 
9th Int'l KD Symposium Abstracts Print E-mail
Thursday, 08 May 2008 00:00
Click here to view details regarding the 9th International Kawasaki Disease Symposium Abstracts.
 
New York KD Awareness Week Print E-mail
Friday, 01 February 2008 00:00
New York has declared February 3rd - 9th as Kawasaki Disease Awareness Week.  For information, contact Uma O'Donnell at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
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