How doctors saved baby infected with post-Covid syndrome

BENGALURU: One of the first patients in Karnataka who was detected with Severe Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) post-Covid was a 23-month-old baby in Bengaluru. With timely treatment, the baby recovered. Doctors from Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, who treated the child, have written an article — “Severe Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in a 23 months old baby post COVID-19 effectively managed with IVIG and pulse steroid”, which is under pre-print stage in Research Square.

It was during the first wave that this child was infected. It was till then believed that many children are without symptoms. But when this case was presented, it was  a challenge to identify that the child had PMIS post-Covid.

The baby presented with a high fever for three days followed by loose stools. He had non-purulen conjunctivitis, puffiness in the eyes and swelling of hand and feet. Initially when the Covid test was performed, the baby was negative.

The child even had prenatal acute kidney injury, hyponatremia with elevated inflammatory markers, elevated liver enzymes and had developed hypotension within 6 hours of admission. Based on the clinical presentations, the doctors stated that it could possibly be hyperinflammatory syndrome with multi-organ involvement.

They further carried out an antibody test, which showed high levels of antibodies, confirming that he previously had Covid. The child was then given IVIG along with pulse steroids. On Day 3 of admission, the child showed improvements. Dr Yogesh Kumar Gupta, Dept of Paediatrics and Paediatric Critical care, Fortis Hospitals, said, “Timely identification of the syndrome helped in saving the child.”