When poet Maya Angelou wrote "Life loves the liver of it," and philosopher William James asked, "Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver," they weren't referring to the three-pound, cone-shaped, reddish-brown organ that performs more than 500 vital functions designed to help regulate bodily chemicals.

But they could have been, because the liver is so essential to overall health.

A startling report about children with liver disease clearly demonstrates that. The announcement, initially coming out of the U.S. and the UK, identifies the unusual appearance of serious hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) in children.

In the U.S., 12 states have reported a total of 32 cases, five requiring liver transplants, and one death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is searching for others nationwide. The World Health Organization says 228 cases have been reported in 20 countries, and more are suspected.

The first U.S. cases affected kids in Alabama who were 1 to 6 years old. All had been infected earlier with adenovirus, which can cause cold-like symptoms, fever, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and conjunctivitis.

The theory is that young kids, sheltered from normal exposure to infections during the pandemic, have extra-vulnerable immune systems as they return to interaction with the outside world, and that's why they develop this complication.

If your child previously had symptoms of adenovirus infection, especially gastrointestinal symptoms, keep an eye out (even weeks later) for jaundice, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, sore joints and/or muscles, itchy hives, dark urine, or clay-colored stools. If you see any of those, ask your doctor to check for possible hepatitis right away.