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Post-acute COVID-19 outcomes in children requiring hospitalisation
Cara J Bossley1, Ema Kavaliunaite2, Katharine Harman2
1Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK. cara.bossley@nhs.net.
Insights
Most children fully recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection. While some experience lingering symptoms like fatigue or cough, these typically resolve within three months, indicating a low incidence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are well-documented in adults but less characterized in children.
- Understanding long-term outcomes in pediatric COVID-19 is crucial for clinical management and public health guidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and nature of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in a large cohort of children and young people.
- To determine the recovery trajectory of pediatric patients following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Methods:
- Clinical assessments were conducted on a cohort of pediatric patients admitted with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
- Symptom evaluation for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome was performed at 4 weeks or more post-infection.
- Follow-up assessments were conducted at 3 months to track symptom resolution.
Main Results:
- The vast majority (85%) of children achieved full recovery after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- A small proportion experienced symptoms lasting over 4 weeks, including dry cough, fatigue, and headache.
- Most of these prolonged symptoms resolved by the 3-month follow-up; one patient reported persistent anosmia.
Conclusions:
- Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome appears uncommon in children and young people.
- Most pediatric patients experience a full recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- The long-term prognosis for pediatric COVID-19 is generally favorable, with most symptoms resolving over time.
Abstract:
Post-acute COVID-19 causes long term sequalae in adults. This is less well described in children. We performed clinical assessments on a large cohort of children and young people admitted with a positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA swab. We assessed for symptoms of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome after 4 weeks or more. We found that most (85%) of children made a full recovery following SARS-CoV-2 infection. A small number had symptoms which lasted for more than 4 weeks, most of which had resolved at 3 months. Symptoms included dry cough, fatigue and headache. One patient suffered from anosmia. We conclude that most children and young people do not suffer from past-acute COVID-19 syndrome, and make a full recovery from infection.
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