Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2025
Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Behavioral problems of pediatric patients recovered from COVID-19 in Wuhan, China
1Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Insights
Behavioral problems are common in children after recovering from COVID-19, affecting 13% overall. Parental emotional issues, like anxiety and depression, were linked to increased difficulties in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Psychology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted global health, with most research focusing on acute infection phases.
- Limited attention has been given to the long-term health outcomes of recovered pediatric patients.
- Understanding the psychological and behavioral sequelae in children post-COVID-19 is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of behavioral problems in pediatric patients after recovering from COVID-19.
- To assess the association between parental emotional well-being and behavioral issues in recovered children.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 122 hospitalized children (suspected or confirmed COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, were studied.
- Data on hospitalization, discharge, and parental emotional symptoms were collected via medical records and questionnaires.
- The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to evaluate behavioral problems in children.
Main Results:
- Among 122 recovered pediatric patients (62% boys, mean age 6.71 years), 13% exhibited total difficulties.
- The highest prevalence of specific behavioral issues included prosocial behavior (15%), emotional symptoms (11%), and hyperactivity (10%).
- Parents reported anxiety (26%) and depression (23%); higher parental emotional distress correlated with increased child behavioral problems.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 recovery in children is associated with a notable prevalence of behavioral problems.
- Parental mental health significantly influences the behavioral outcomes of recovered pediatric patients.
- Longitudinal studies are essential to fully understand the psychological impact of COVID-19 on children and their families.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is profoundly affecting lives around the globe. Previous studies on COVID-19 mainly focused on epidemiological, clinical, and radiological features of patients with confirmed infection. Little attention has been paid to the follow-up of recovered patients. As a vulnerable population to adverse events, the health status of the COVID-19 recovered pediatric patients is of great concern. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of behavioral problems among pediatric patients recovered from the COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.
Methods:
A total of 122 children who were suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospitalized for treatment were enrolled in the study between April 2020 and May 2020 in Wuhan, China. We collected related information about hospitalization and discharge of the children and emotional symptoms of their parents through electronic medical records and questionnaire. The behavioral problems of children were examined by applying the parent-reported the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results:
The participant children were discharged from hospital after about two months. Among them, 76 (62%) were boys, and the mean age was 6.71 years old. The highest prevalence of behavioral problems among pediatric children with COVID-19 was for prosocial behavior (15%), followed by total difficulties (13%), emotional symptoms (11%), hyperactivity (10%), conduct problems (9%), and peer problems (1%). With regarding to their parents, 26% reported having symptoms of anxiety and 23% as having symptoms of depression. The scores of SDQ were higher in those children whose parents have emotional problems compared to parents without.
Conclusion:
Long-term follow up studies on the psychological and behavioral problems of COVID-19 recovered children and their parents are warranted.
