Kawasaki Disease-MNEMONIC for Pharm.D

Kawasaki Disease is one of the pediatric rashes that you always need to have in the back of your mind. Most of the time the disease is self-limiting, but the consequences of not catching it are pretty bad (turns out coronary artery aneurysms often lead to things like infarction and DEATH).
Warm CREAM is an unrelated (and somewhat unpleasant) mnemonic to help remember the signs and symptoms of Kawasaki. The “warm” is a fever (one lasting more than 5d) and then you need 4/5 of the other criteria (non-purulent conjunctivitis, rash, palmar erythema/swelling, cervical adenopathy, dry and red mucous membranes, the infamous strawberry tongue). The kid doesn’t need all 4 as he or she is sitting in front of you, but the presentation and the history combined should include those criteria.
Treatment is with high doses ASA and IVIG, you do this to prevent the sequelae of coronary artery aneurysms and myocarditis, and it’s best to get an echo to check up on things