Nina's Clinic

Hana is four years old and she's been sick for five days. Her parents are worried — and frustrated. It started with a high fever that came out of nowhere. They gave her children's ibuprofen, but the fever keeps coming back. Their family doctor said it was probably a virus. "Give it a few more days." But it's been five days, and Hana isn't getting better. She's getting worse. Her eyes are red and bloodshot — both of them — but there's no goopy discharge like you'd see with pink eye. Her lips are dry and cracked, almost raw. When you ask her to open her mouth, her tongue is bright red and bumpy — it looks exactly like a strawberry. Her hands are puffy and swollen. And there's a blotchy red rash spreading across her chest and belly that doesn't follow any pattern you've seen before. Hana is miserable. She's cranky, exhausted, and won't let anyone touch her hands because they hurt. Her parents have brought her to the emergency department because they feel something is really wrong — and they're right. None of these symptoms alone would alarm you. But together, they're telling you a story.