Much has already been written all over the Web, including here within the Babble blogs, about the terribly sad death of Jett Travolta. Unlike those who have (again) raised questions about whether the son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston actually had autism that went untreated, I don't want to speculate or make any allegations, especially during a time of what is undoubtedly immense grief for that family. But I do want to address a health issue that both T
ravolta and Preston have spoken openly about in regard to Jett: Kawasaki syndrome.
The disease has been mentioned so often as part of the coverage of the young Travolta's death that many parents may be confused about what it is and whether it's something from which their children could potentially suffer. So here are a few basic facts, along with links to other resources that can provide more information.
Kawasaki syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that, according to the Scientific American, usually affects children under the age of 5. Its cause is unknown, but we do know it is much more prevalent in boys, particularly those of Asian descent. However, the odds of your child getting it remain relatively small: Only 9 to 19 children out of 100,000 contract Kawasaki syndrome here in the U.S.
Before you start freaking out about whether your son or daughter has it, here are some of the symptoms: red eyes, a fever over 101 that lasts for several days, a rash on the torso and swollen lymph nodes. However, as this blog post on the U.S. News and World Report site notes, Kawasaki syndrome can often be hard to diagnose because those symptoms closely resemble the ones caused by the flu.
The biggest danger that Kawasaki syndrome presents is potential cardiac problems, but those can be prevented if it is diagnosed and treated right away. However, as a doctor told the Scientific American, Kawasaki patients often must be medically monitored for 10 to 20 years because the disease can have long-term effects on the heart. The upshot: It's serious business, but it's also by no means fatal, as long as it's recognized for what it is and handled appropriately.
So how does this all relate back to Jett Travolta? His parents say he had Kawasaki syndrome as a toddler. While there does is not definitive medical evidence that it causes seizures -- which is what ultimately led to Jett's death -- Travolta and Preston do believe that the condition resulted in lasting health issues for their son. They also contend that the chemicals from household cleaning products may have been the Kawasaki culprit, which is why Preston has been very outspoken on the issue of keeping such products away from very young children.
In fact, several years ago, Preston and the other woman most people think of as the leading lady in John Travolta's life -- his "Grease" co-star, Olivia Newton-John -- came to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness about that very subject on behalf of the Children's Health Environmental Coalition. I was covering an event for People magazine at the National Press Club where both women spoke, and I distinctly remember listening to Preston talk about her son's health problems when, suddenly, she completely broke down in tears. Considering the pain and emotion she felt then, I can't even imagine how she is feeling right now, with her son gone.
Again, it's not entirely clear that Jett's exposure to things like carpet cleaner caused his Kawasaki syndrome (although some studies have suggested a connection between the two), or that Kawasaki syndrome is in any way responsible for his untimely death. But here are the takeaways from all of the above that I think we can agree on: as Preston and Newton-John stressed, we should all protect our kids from exposure to chemicals as much as we can. It's just a smart thing to do.
If we have any definitive reason to think our child might have Kawasaki syndrome, we should consult a doctor right away. And at least once a day, every day, we should pause to really look at and appreciate our kids, even when they refuse to sit in their booster seats and throw pieces of turkey all over the dining room. (Not that this happened to me yesterday or anything.)
As frightening as this is to consider, our kids can be taken away from us unexpectedly, for any number of reasons. And that's why we have to do our best to stay educated, keep them healthy and love them as fiercely and fully as we can.
Some more resources on Kawasaki syndrome:
From the American Heart Association
From the CDC
From Children's Hospital of Boston
