Kawasaki Disease Spotted on Facebook, Child’s Life Saved

The content of status updates is a major debate regarding the use of Facebook, with kids and medical woes topping the list of complained-about topics.

However, one mother’s decision to post pictures of her ailing son’s symptoms may very well have saved the child’s life. 4-year-old Leo Kogan presented with a rash that his mother was almost sure resulted from a strep infection. But Deborah Copaken Kogan posted pictures of her sick son on the social network, adding more when his symptoms failed to resolve.

It turned out to be a good move on Kogan’s part- several friends spotted the symptoms of Kawasaki Disease, and directed the worried mom to whisk Leo to the hospital:

The day after Mother’s Day, Kogan got a call from a friend who said her son had had the exact same symptoms, and was hospitalized for Kawasaki disease. Other Facebook friends wrote Kogan saying they thought it was Kawasaki, too.

Kawasaki Disease, an inflammation of the coronary arteries, can sometimes be fatal. Leo was hospitalized for three weeks, and has since been released in improved condition.