PIMS-TS – 15 May 2020

Inflammation in Children

Also known as Paediatric Inflammation Multisystem Syndrome – PIMS

Published on 15 May 2020 (Updated and reviewed on 22 June 2021)

With continuing sensationalist press pieces causing deep worry for families, we wanted to share another paper and an update on our work on this – which we hope is helpful. At Societi, we like facts. Our unashamed and long term focus on **facts** which our community can rely on has never been more important than now!

Today, 15 May 2020, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control issued a factual paper. We are grateful to colleagues at NHS England and the Department of Health who shared this with us. We’re also grateful to Prof Robert Tulloh, internationally recognised expert in Kawasaki Disease – someone with experience of caring for many hundreds of children with Kawasaki Disease, here in the UK, who wrote this overview of the paper for you.

The paper (link below) is detailed and quite long – but we know some of our supporters will want to read it! For those that don’t, here’s what it covers in a nutshell. It says:

Children are unlikely to be seriously affected by Covid-19 infection.

However, there have been recent reports of a few cases of children severely ill in hospital due to rare paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndromes (PIMS) in Europe and the US. The presenting signs and symptoms are sometimes like those of bad cases of Kawasaki Disease and sometimes like other severe diseases. Since it is occurring at a time when Covid-19 is around, doctors are investigating all cases in the UK and Ireland to understand more about why this might be.

This paper from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) suggests that we should be undertaking research to look at the cause and outcome from this condition, since we currently know very little about it.It has been agreed that this condition should be included in the reporting system (where doctors have to report cases of certain illnesses if they see them) so that we can learn more.
There are only 3 cases for every **million** children, so it is very rare indeed. To read the full document click https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/covid-19-risk-assessment-paediatric-inflammatory-multisystem-syndrome-15-May-2020.pdf

What this means for us:

Societi Foundation can announce that we are now working with the British Paediatric Survelliance Unit (BPSU) on the programme of surveillance for PIMS which has been launched in the UK and Ireland.
In the last week we have been contributing as part of a large team, including many doctors and public health specialists, NHS England and the BPSU as they launched this programme. We are pleased to be right at the heart of this very important research and will be providing you with updates in coming weeks and months – based on FACTS and learning – as this fast moving situation unfolds.

We’ll talk in future more on what we have been asked to do and how we have helped inform the surveillance research programme so far.

We can’t do this without YOU!

YOUR support and donations mean we can get involved in important but complex and demanding projects like this. EVERY donation matters! Please donate if you can to support our work – we are busier than ever just now and your donation WILL make a difference! To donate https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/KawasakiDisease

 ABOUT THIS POST: This is information issued by Societi Foundation, prepared by our Scientific Advisory Board Chairman on 15 May 2020.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information contained in this statement is true and accurate to the best of Societi Foundation’s knowledge and belief, and is based on the information currently available to it. This statement does not give, and should not be construed as, medical advice.