Kawasaki Disease: The Ali Chronicles - Comfort Food and Some Other Tips

Note: This entry is not meant to replace professional medical advice. Please consult your child's physician if your child is sick.

I never thought I'd see the day when a doctor would actually tell me to feed my kid chips and other junky stuff but I did. When Ali was hospitalized for Kawasaki, she totally lost whatever little appetite she had. For the almost three years that I've been around Ali, I have come to the conclusion that she merely eats to survive which is so unlike her mom.

Anyway, as Ali slowly recovered from Kawasaki in the hospital, she wanted to eat Jelly Ace, Nips, instant noodles, Spuds, mamon, etc., etc. I was a bit worried that she wasn't eating real food but the doctor said that I can let Ali anything, even junk food, since her sodium is low anyway.

As she got better, she took in some soup, cereals, and lugaw (rice porridge) and started to get stronger. Soft food and drinking with a straw were recommended so her lips/mouth (remember they were dry and had wounds)would not get hurt or too irritated.

While in the hospital for Kawasaki, having petroleum jelly and chapstick for the lips can be very helpful - to prevent the lips from drying up further and from bleeding. Our doctor also prescribed Oilatum cream for the itchiness that Ali felt and this was applied 3x a day.

Well, Ali's on her way to full recovery now -- so the junk food is back to its controlled level. I bet Ali says -- even to sickness, there is a bright side - she got to eat chips!

UP NEXT IN KAWASAKI SERIES: STAYING AT THE PEDIA UNIT; MONITORING