Coronavirus study: Children get sick too -- sometimes seriously so
© 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved
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A report of the new coronavirus has been peer-reviewed and accustomed for publication in the Periodical of Pediatrics. What this report reveal? I've read the pre-publication version released on March 18th. The quick takeaway is this:
- Some kids (13%) who tested positive for the virus did not experience any symptoms.
- Well-nigh kids (87%) who tested positive did experience symptoms, ranging from mild to astringent. Pneumonia was pretty common.
- Approximately 2.5% of kids testing positive experienced astringent or critical affliction.
- Babies and immature children were more probable than older kids to endure astringent illness.
How easily did the virus spread?
The study can't assist us at that place.
You might take heard claims that children are less likely that adults to contract the virus. Early data coming from China indicated that confirmed cases amid children were disproportionately low.
But, according to the World Health Organization, infected children in China "accept largely been identified through contact tracing in households of adults" (WHO 2020).
Outside of this context, at that place wasn't a major effort to wait for coronavirus cases amidst children.
In addition, the data come from a region that took farthermost measures to cease the spread. In this new report, most data concern symptoms experienced subsequently people were in "lock down." Nosotros don't know how hands the coronavirus might have spread amongst children if at that place hadn't been a lock down.
Finally, the study doesn't offer insights well-nigh how easily the virus might be spread from children to adults. That question wasn't addressed.
And then what exactly does the written report say?
The study (Dong et al 2020) analyzes data almost children reported to the China Center for Disease Control by February 8, 2020.
Birthday, the Red china CDC received reports of 2,143 children either confirmed to have COVID-xix or suspected of having COVID-xix.
To be identified every bit a suspected example, a kid had to meet several criteria. These included a combination of risk factors (e.g., beingness exposed to a confirmed case, or living in an epidemic surface area) and showing various signs (e.g., symptoms of illness, or an aberrant chest X-ray).
To exist identified as a confirmed case, a kid had to have a oral fissure swab, respiratory tract sample, or blood sample tested. And the results had to indicate the presence of the new coronavirus.
Nigh children in the written report fell into the "suspected" category. If all of these children had been tested, it'south possible, even likely, that at least some of them would have tested negative. Just how many? We can't be sure.
Because of this uncertainty, the researchers did split up analyses for confirmed and suspected cases. And hither's what they establish.
Outcomes of children with lab-confirmed cases
731 children in this report were confirmed, by lab tests, to carry the virus. Of these 731 lab-confirmed cases, 94 (nearly 13%) were asymptomatic. The kids weren't showing signs of illness. If their chests were scanned, their lungs looked clear.
The remaining 87% of children who tested positive experienced varying degrees of illness, ranging from mild to critical.
Mild illness. Near 43% (315/731) of lab-confirmed cases experienced symptoms of mild disease.
Kids in this category showed one or more of these signs:
- fever
- fatigue
- myalgia (musculus aches)
- cough
- sore throat
- runny nose
- sneezing
Some of the mild cases experienced only digestive symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea).
Moderate illness. Most 41% (300/731)of kids testing positive showed signs of moderate disease.
These kids had pneumonia, frequent fever and cough, and sputum (fungus) in the lungs. Wheezing was sometimes present. Some children didn't experience any of these symptoms, but were determined to have lung lesions (on a CT scan).
Severe affliction. Most ii.5% (18/731) of lab-confirmed cases experienced symptoms of greater severity, like shortness of jiff and lower oxygen levels.
Critical status. Only 3 children out of 731 confirmed cases ended upward in critical condition.
Outcomes for children with suspected (but not confirmed) cases of the new coronavirus.
one,412 children in this study were classified every bit "suspected" cases. All were symptomatic to some degree. Here'south a breakup in terms of severity:
- Mild illness: 55% (776/1412)
- Moderate: 38% (531/1412)
- Severe: 7% (94/1412)
- Disquisitional: Less than 1% (ten/1412)
Compared to the lab-confirmed cases, the suspected cases had higher rates of severe and critical disease. But nosotros can't know for sure if these children actually had the new coronavirus. Their symptoms might accept been caused by some other, unidentified infection of the respiratory tract.
How did the risk of severe or critical disease interruption down by age?
Overall — adding together lab-confirmed and suspected cases — the researchers calculated these percentages:
- Under age 1 twelvemonth: 10.half-dozen%
- i to 5-year-olds: 7.3%
- vi- to 10-year-olds: 4.2%
- 11- to fifteen-yr-olds: 4.1%
- 15 and older: 3%
More information about coronavirus
We need to slow down the spread of this virus equally much as possible. So delight encourage your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to help "flatten the bend."
For more than background on the pandemic, and what we can practise most information technology, see my article, opens in a new window"Coping with Coronavirus."
References: Coronavirus in children
Dong Y, Mo Ten, Hu Y, Qi X, Jiang F, Jiang Z, and Tong S. 2020. Epidemiology of COVID-19 amidst children in China. Journal of Pediatrics. Prepublication version accessed on March xviii, 2020. Download information technology here: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2020/03/16/peds.2020-0702.full.pdf
World Wellness Organization. 2020. Report of the WHO-China Articulation Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2022 (COVID-nineteen). Downloaded 3/16/xx from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-red china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf
image of daughter in bed by puhimec / istock
Content last modified 3/eighteen/2020
Source: https://parentingscience.com/coronavirus-in-children/
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