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It was brought to our attention that Kawasaki Disease (also known as Kawasaki Syndrome) was a topic on one of the “doctors” TV shows. We were told that the show linked KD to over cleaned carpets. They said when carpets are cleaned that it strip fibers from the carpet and collects more dust mites and is very dangerous for kids. We did some research and found the cause to KD is unknown and there is not one test to determine if you have it.

“Kawasaki’s Disease History
Kawasaki syndrome (KS), also known as Kawasaki disease, is an acute febrile illness of unknown etiology that primarily affects children younger than 5 years of age. KS was first described in Japan by Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, and the first cases outside of Japan were reported in Hawaii in 1976.
KS occurs worldwide, with the highest incidence in Japan, and it most often affects boys and younger children. KS may have a winter-spring seasonality, and community-wide outbreaks have been reported occasionally. In the continental United States, population-based and hospitalization studies have estimated an incidence of KS ranging from 9 to 19 per 100,000 children younger than 5 years of age. Approximately 4248 hospitalizations with KS, of which 3277 (77%) were for children under 5 years of age, were estimated among children younger than 18 years of age in the United States in the year 2000. In 2006, the number of hospitalizations with KS was 5523 (standard error [SE] 289) and the percentage of children under 5 years of age remained the same.
SOURCE: CDC ”

Kawasaki’s Disease Facts

  • Kawasaki’s disease is a syndrome of unknown cause that mainly strikes young children.
  • Signs of the disease include fever and redness of the eyes, hands, feet, mouth, and tongue.
  • The disease can be treated with high doses of aspirin (salicylic acid) and gamma globulin.
  • Kawasaki’s disease usually resolves on its own within a month or two.
  • Some children with Kawasaki’s disease suffer damage to the coronary arteries.

What is Kawasaki’s disease, and how is it diagnosed?

Kawasaki’s disease is an uncommon illness in children that is characterized by high fever of at least five days’ duration together with at least four of the following five findings:

  1. Inflammation with reddening of the whites of the eyes (conjunctivitis) without pus
  2. Redness or swelling of the hands or feet, or generalized skin peeling
  3. Rash
  4. Lymph node swelling in the neck
  5. Cracking, inflamed lips or throat, or red “strawberry” tongue

The above criteria are used to make a diagnosis of Kawasaki’s disease. The terminology “incomplete Kawasaki’s disease” is sometimes used for patients with only some features of classical Kawasaki’s disease. Most patients are under 5 years of age.

What is mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome?

Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome is the original name for Kawasaki’s disease. The original name was quite descriptive because the disease is characterized by the typical changes in the mucous membranes that line the lips and mouth and by the enlarged and tender lymph nodes. Kawasaki’s disease is also sometimes referred to as Kawasaki disease.
Reviewed by Catherine Burt Driver, MD on 5/11/2012”

Taken From http://www.medicinenet.com/kawasaki_disease/article.htm

This is what the Kawasaki Disease Foundation had to say about it;
“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.”
So what do I take away from this? First of all, shame on you doctors for not doing your research. According to numerous medical papers and the Kawasaki Disease Foundation, carpet cleaning has nothing to do with “KD”; The Cause is “UN-KNOWN”. Secondly, when you clean carpets you clean out dust mites and other allergens, so how is that a bad thing?

I defer to the Shaw Carpet Institute web site that states, “Carpets should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months.”
What does this mean for you? Keep cleaning your carpets, it is safe. The one caveat is to make sure they stand by the job that they do. We Guarantee the best clean you have ever had!

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