Kids with fevers should always be assessed for signs of Kawasaki’s.
Doing that over an audio encounter can be time consuming.
Simply ask, “Do his lips and eyes look ok?”
If Kawasaki’s is present the informant will start describing the change in appearance.
Once they do that, you know you’re going to have to refer.
Usually they won’t. Usually they say they look “ok” or “a little pink.”
Then you can document “MM not markedly abnormal” or something similar, getting you off the hook for missing a Kawasaki’s diagnosis down the line.
Kawasaki’s is unusual, but it’s catastrophic and very actionable if you fail to check for it.
Like meningitis, it’s one of the few specific conditions you have to routinely exclude if you’re going to take care of febrile kids.
Do it systematically with every child with a fever.
Take care of enough of them and you will come across it.
But now you’ll prepared.