COVID-19 Symptoms In children
The symptoms caused by Covid-19 in the youngest children are common to those that adults can present:
- Fever
- Cough
- Feeling short of breath, shortness of breath
However, it is emphasized that these manifestations are often milder and of shorter duration; In one of the European country, confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in children represent 1% of the total in the country, although the percentage of real cases could be higher, since those who suffer mild symptoms or are asymptomatic may not be detected, according to the experts.
On the other hand, digestive symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite …) have also been found in the pediatric population with a higher frequency, but without assuming a worse prognosis. There are studies that show that hospital admissions of people under 18 years of age due to Covid-19 have been a minority.
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Other Possible Symptoms Of Coronavirus In Young Children
Skin Problems
Regarding other symptoms of the coronavirus among young children, there are skin manifestations that have occurred in children during this pandemic, but the whose association with the new coronavirus is not confirmed.
In this sense, some of the most common dermatological alterations that have been found in both children and adults are:
- Rashes (mainly on the trunk)
- Urticaria
- Vesicular eruptions (reminiscent of chickenpox, purple …)
In addition, hands and feet are areas where lesions similar to chilblains or blisters are being observed, which occur more frequently in the child population and, sometimes, which do not present other symptoms.
The (AEDV) recently published the results of two studies, carried out in Italy and China, which precisely appeal to prudence and the need for “more clinical evidence to understand how Covid-19 can affect the skin ». In Spain there are still no known dermatological studies published in relation to this coronavirus, for this reason, a COVID-Skin study has been launched, in which the AEDV and about 100 dermatologists from hospitals and clinics in our country participate, which, After analyzing 375 cases, it has established five patterns of skin manifestations of Covid-19:
- Chilblain-like eruptions in acral areas (19%)
- Vesicular eruptions (9%)
- Urticarial lesions (19%)
- Maculopapular eruptions (47%)
- Livedo-reticularis or necrosis (6%)
Regarding the results, the study clarifies that “it must be taken into account that it cannot be ruled out that there are other causes behind some of these skin manifestations, especially in the case of urticarial lesions or in maculopapular, which could have other causes, such as reactions to one of the many drugs they have received.
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Abdominal Pain And Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Recently, the (AEP) announced an alert about severe childhood cases of shock that were suspected of being linked to Covid-19. These cases have been registered in Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Belgium, but the AEP clarified that they are very infrequent and have called families to calm down.
These cases are characterized by abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, which have been associated with cardiac inflammation (myocarditis), and have been observed both in children and young people with positive for the virus and in those who have not developed the disease.
According to paediatricians, these conditions show symptoms in children that are shared with other pathologies (such as Kawasaki syndrome, for example), so it is still unknown whether they may be caused by the coronavirus or another cause. In any case, they have known treatment regardless of their origin, highlighted from the AEP.
The association recalls that the majority of cases of coronavirus in pediatric age are mild, but that, if parents or caregivers have doubts, they should consult with the corresponding Primary Care centre, on the emergency telephones or go to the emergency room if considered necessary.
Finally, health professionals insist on the need to be strict with personal and household hygiene and comply with social distancing, especially now that it is possible to leave the house, to avoid contagion, since most of the affected children due to the new coronavirus they have a documented family contact, who often shows symptoms before them. However, the importance of children in the transmission of the virus remains unknown and it continues to be studied with each case.
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