A mother from Hamilton is campaigning to raise awareness of Kawasaki disease after the loss of her infant son to the condition. Heather Hinshelwood's six-month-old son, Jaime, died in 2017 following a misdiagnosis at Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire. Initially treated for a common viral infection, Jaime was discharged before later succumbing to fatal heart complications caused by undiagnosed Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease is a rare inflammatory disorder that affects the blood vessels in young children, causing swelling and potentially severe damage to the coronary arteries if untreated. It primarily affects children under five years old and is estimated to impact eight to nine per 100,000 children annually in the United Kingdom. While the disease can be effectively treated if detected early, delayed or missed diagnosis can lead to serious cardiac issues, including coronary artery aneurysms.

Heather recounted that after Jaime’s initial hospital visit, where she requested the possibility of Kawasaki disease to be considered, medical staff dismissed it as a viral infection. Jaime appeared to improve before suddenly suffering a ruptured coronary artery aneurysm, which proved fatal. The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was confirmed post-mortem.

Following her loss, Heather has been working with the charity Societi to improve public and professional understanding of the disease. Societi advocates for increased vigilance among healthcare providers, encouraging them to consider Kawasaki disease in children presenting with symptoms beyond common viral conditions. Their campaign promotes the message: “When you hear hooves, think zebras not horses,” highlighting the need to recognize rare but serious illnesses.

Symptoms of Kawasaki disease include rash, swollen neck glands, red eyes, cracked lips, and a swollen, bumpy tongue. The disease is more prevalent in boys, and cardiac complications occur in 15 to 28 percent of cases. Untreated Kawasaki disease carries a mortality rate of two to three percent.

Other recent cases underline the critical importance of early diagnosis. An 11-month-old from Dundee was successfully treated with plasma transfusion after timely identification of Kawasaki disease, while a two-year-old from Bristol tragically died from coronary artery rupture related to the illness.

Heather expressed that visiting Jaime’s grave remains difficult, but she finds comfort in nature, where she feels his presence. Through her advocacy, she hopes to prevent other families from enduring similar heartbreak by promoting earlier recognition and treatment of Kawasaki disease.