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The results of one of the most extensive British studies of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 show that children and adolescents are much less likely to develop severe COVID-19, and much less likely to die of the disease.
- Obesity, being black, and being less than a month old all increase the risk of children developing the more severe form of COVID-19
- Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) increases the likelihood of admitting children with COVID-19 to the intensive care unit five times
- In the UK, children and adolescents accounted for a fraction of one percent of all hospital admissions for COVID-19
Summarizing the results of their research, the scientists emphasize that obesity, belonging to the black race and being less than a month old increase the risk of developing a more severe form of the disease.
In addition, the work identified new symptoms of pediatric multi-systemic inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), which significantly increases the risk of hospitalization in the intensive care unit for COVID-19. Scientists called on WHO to update the definition of MIS-C. This is to help doctors identify young patients with this disease more quickly and improve their treatments.
- Learn more about the inflammatory syndrome in children infected with the coronavirus
Hospitals are mainly children who, apart from COVID-19, have comorbidities
A team of experts from the universities of Edinburgh, Liverpool, Imperial College London and the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow examined 651 children and adolescents up to 19 years of age admitted to hospitals for COVID-19. The study was conducted as part of ISARIC4C (a team of UK doctors and scientists dealing with COVID-19). It covered 138 hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, and two-thirds of all patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
The results suggest that children and adolescents with the coronavirus rarely end up in hospitals. This group accounted for less than one percent of hospitalized patients. Most often, help in the hospital was required by children around 5 years of age. About 42 percent of them had at least one comorbid disease, most often a neurological disease or asthma.
The number of COVID-19 deaths among children and adolescents was relatively low compared to adults (6 in total). Three are newborns born with other serious health problems. The remaining three, aged 15-18, had comorbidities.
- See also: These accompanying diseases are the most dangerous in case of virus infection
About 18 percent hospitalized children and adolescents were admitted to intensive care units. Experts found that children under the age of one month or 10-14 years old required intensive care most of the time. As in adults, obesity and belonging to the black race have been shown to increase the risk.
The study also identified 52 small patients with the MIS-C inflammatory syndrome. Symptoms of MIS-C include persistent fever, gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea), rash, and conjunctivitis. After a few days of fever, symptoms of shock often develop. The researchers found that these children were five times more likely to be accepted into intensive care.
The study also found new symptoms of COVID-19 in children with MIS-C. These include headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and a sore throat. On the other hand, the number of platelets – a component of blood involved in clotting – in children with MIS-C was significantly lower than in healthy children. Experts say the combination of these symptoms and a low platelet count may be important in identifying MIS-C and thus an increased likelihood of complications from COVID-19.
The study shows that a very small number of children develop severe COVID-19
Dr Olivia Swann, study author, pediatrician and lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, said:
– Scientists like to include large numbers of patients in research. However, we want to emphasize that children in the UK accounted for only a fraction of the percent of all hospital admissions for COVID-19. Additionally, severe disease was rare in them.
Professor Calum Semple, pediatrician and epidemiologist at the University of Liverpool added:
– The report is the largest and most detailed description of COVID-19 and MIS-C in children and adolescents in the UK. We have shed new light on MIS-C, which we hope will help manage this rare but serious disease. Now parents can rest assured that the severe form of COVID-19 in children is very rare.
“The study should reassure parents, as it confirmed that very few children developed severe COVID-19,” said Dr. Louisa Pollock, consultant on infectious diseases in children at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. “But it’s important that we don’t stop observing when the children return to school and later in the winter.
‘This important study in 138 hospitals shows that children and adolescents are less likely than adults to contract and die from severe COVID-19,’ concludes Professor Fiona Watt, director of the Medical Research Counci. – They also go to hospitals less frequently. Although the overall risk is lower for them, obesity and ethnicity increase them in the same way as they do in adults. This must be borne in mind, as well as children suffering from multi-system inflammatory syndrome.
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