Six children in South Florida have been admitted into intensive care units for inflammatory illnesses linked to coronavirus. The six children are receiving treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital near South Miami, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, and Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami.

Multi-system inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, has been described as inflammation across multiple body systems including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, and intestines. Symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, fevers, and abdominal pains can begin weeks after a child is exposed to COVID-19, but it is still unkown if there are children who are at higher risk of falling ill or if the syndrome can also affect adults. As there is still no official treatment for MIS-C or official understanding of the recovery period for the illness, it worries parents about the well-being of their children as we approach the next school year.