These are the most common symptoms of long-term COVID in children

One of the few leniencies of the coronavirus pandemic is that, in general, children are spared the most serious results. To date, more than 4.7 million pediatric cases have been diagnosed in the United States and less than 2% have resulted in hospitalization.

But questions remain about the long-term effects of COVID-19 in children, especially its long-term iteration. This is what parents need to know about the most common symptoms and how to protect their children.

For the most part, the most common complaints of children facing long-term COVID (which Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now often refer to as a “post-COVID condition”) are virtually the same. than those of adults.

Shortness of breath, shortness of breath, and tiredness or tiredness are at the top of the list, but the severity of these symptoms is the widest. For example, Carey Lumeng, a pediatric pulmonologist at CS Mott Children’s Hospital who runs the Post-COVID Pediatric Syndrome Clinic, said his team has treated several pediatric patients who are athletes and noticed that they were unable to run and play the same way you could pre-COVID.

Other children experience deep and relentless levels of fatigue. Experts explore the extent to which long-term COVID in children can overlap with serious conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which can cause dizziness, exhaustion, and heart palpitations.

“I think it’s important for parents to know that in most children, fortunately, COVID is mild,” said Dr. Diane Arnaout, a Texas pediatrician who regularly posts COVID tips for families on her Facebook page. “But it doesn’t mean they can’t get seriously or chronically ill.”

Children with long-term COVID also report that they are dealing with “brain fog,” which is a broad (and non-clinical) term used to describe difficulty thinking or concentrating.

“In children and adolescents, it may appear that they suddenly developed an Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) without hyperactivity,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

While these are one of the most common symptoms, they are not the only ones. One adult-centered study found that there may be 200 symptoms associated with long-term COVID-19.

“I have a poor teenager who, months after COVID infection, smells of feces whenever he is near any type of meat,” Arnaout said. “It sounds mild, but it can really affect appetite and mental well-being.”

Long-term COVID is a syndrome (a group of symptoms that often occur together), so it cannot be diagnosed with any test.

“Long-distance COVID in children can seem like a lot,” Arnaout said.

In addition, children may develop long-term symptoms even if they initially had no symptoms or simply very mild symptoms. COVID-19 may not have been tested or may have inconsistent results in subsequent antibody testing.

“There is no diagnostic test [long-haul COVID]. Also, there is no single treatment for this, “said Lumeng, who added that at the clinic he oversees, treatments are usually based on symptoms. Therefore, if a child has asthma-like symptoms. , treats them the same way you would treat a child with asthma.A nose and throat specialist can help with loss of smell or taste.

But to complicate matters further, there is no universal definition of what “long haul” means, although many experts believe the starting point is three months after the onset of symptoms.

“The definition of ‘long COVID.’ which can have children and parents when a child is ill for weeks.

“Many children may have symptoms that last up to two or three months that eventually resolve. Certainly, this is distressing for the family. They don’t know what’s going on. But there’s actually a kind of abandonment at about three months when things are getting better, ”he added.

Talk to your child’s pediatrician if you are concerned about COVID.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there was some research suggesting that the prevalence of long-term COVID symptoms in children may reach 60%, Lumeng said.

But subsequent research has been much more reassuring. One study found that about 4% of children had symptoms about a month after the initial infection and, after two months, less than 2% of children. However, research published this week (which has not been peer-reviewed) found that between 2 and 14% of children have symptoms several months after the fact.

In contrast, studies suggest that one in four adults may develop long-term symptoms, even if their initial infection was relatively mild.

“Fortunately it seems to happen more rarely in children than in adults,” Arnaout said.

While doctors are encouraged by the fact that long-term COVID in children is much less common than previously feared, pediatric cases are on the rise right now as a result of the more contagious delta variant. The variant could change the scope and nature of the pandemic for children, so it’s more important than ever for parents to help keep their children safe by wearing masks, keeping their distance, and making sure members of the pandemic families who meet the requirements are vaccinated as soon as possible.

Many parents already do what doctors and public health guidelines suggest, such as moving birthday parties outdoors, Arnaout said. Postpone family reunions, he urged, and open windows in schools. It is critical that parents take this variant seriously, especially when children return to school. Although long-term COVID in children is relatively rare, the odds increase when more children become infected.

“Delta is a completely new ball game and we see more serious illnesses in children. I am nervous and I am encouraging people to listen to the medical community to know what to do, ”said Arnaout. “We’re drowning, but we’re trying to build the ship as we float on it.”

Experts are still learning about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available from the publication, but orientations may change as scientists find out more about the virus. Consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most up-to-date recommendations.