Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM where we instantly improve the lives for Families of critically ill Loved ones in Intensive Care, so that you can make informed decisions, have PEACE OF MIND, real power, real control and so that you can influence decision making fast, even if
you’re not a doctor or a nurse in Intensive Care!
This is another episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” and in last week’s episode I answered another question from our readers and the question was
Why Does The ICU Team Say That My Mom Has Limited Time On A Ventilator?
You can check out last week’s question by clicking on the link here.
In this week’s episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” I want to answer questions that we get quite frequently as part of my 1:1 consulting and advocacy service!
COVID AND CHILDREN
Children can get coronavirus (COVID-19), but they seem to get it less often than adults and it’s usually less serious. Children of all ages can become ill with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). But most kids who are infected typically don’t become as sick as adults and some might not show any symptoms at all.
While all children are capable of getting the virus that causes COVID-19, they don’t become sick as often as adults. Most children have mild symptoms or no symptoms.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, in the United States children represent about 10% of all COVID-19 cases. Research suggests that children younger than ages 10 to 14 are less likely to become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 compared to people age 20 and older. Hospitalization rates for children are also much lower than for adults. However, if children are hospitalized, they need to be treated in
the intensive care unit as often as hospitalized adults, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition, children with underlying conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and asthma, are at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19. Children who have congenital heart disease, genetic conditions or conditions affecting the nervous system or metabolism are also at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19.
What COVID Looks Like in Kids
It does appear that children are less likely to develop symptoms than adults. While children and adults experience similar symptoms of COVID-19, children’s symptoms tend to be mild and cold-like. Most children recover within one to two weeks. Possible symptoms can include:
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Poor feeding or poor appetite
- New loss of taste or smell
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Most children with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all. However, some children can get severely ill from COVID-19. They might require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe. In rare cases, they might die.
Among children who developed a severe case of COVID, several risk factors have emerged. Those include obesity, diabetes, asthma and chronic lung disease, having a suppressed immune system, congenital heart disease, and serious genetic, neurologic, or metabolic
disorders.
Why do children react differently to COVID-19?
The answer isn’t clear yet. Some experts suggest that children might not be as severely affected by COVID-19 because there are other coronaviruses that spread in the community and cause diseases such as the common cold.
Since children often get colds, their immune systems might be primed to provide them with some protection against COVID-19. It’s also possible that children’s immune systems interact with the virus differently than do adults’ immune systems.
Some adults are getting sick because their immune systems seem to overreact to the virus, causing more damage to their bodies. This may be less likely to happen in children.
How are babies affected by COVID-19?
Although rare, children under age 1 appear to be at higher risk of severe illness with COVID-19 than older children. This is likely due to their immature immune systems and smaller airways, which make them more likely to develop breathing issues with respiratory virus infections.
Newborns can become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 during childbirth or by exposure to sick caregivers after delivery. If you have COVID-19 or are waiting for test results due to symptoms, it’s recommended during hospitalization after childbirth that you wear a cloth face mask and have clean hands when caring for your newborn.
Keeping your newborn’s crib by your bed while you are in the hospital is OK, but it’s also recommended that you maintain a reasonable distance from your baby when possible. When these steps are taken, the risk of a newborn becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus is low.
Research suggests that only about 2% to 5% of infants born to women with COVID-19 near the time of delivery test positive for the virus in the days after birth. However, if you are severely ill with COVID-19, you might need to be temporarily separated from your newborn.
Babies under 1 year old might be more likely to have severe illness from COVID-19. Other children, regardless of age, with the following underlying medical conditions might also be at increased risk of severe illness compared to other children:
- Asthma or chronic lung disease
- Genetic, neurologic, or metabolic conditions
- Heart disease since birth
- Immunosuppression (weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions or being on medications that weaken the immune system)
- Medical complexity (children with multiple chronic conditions that affect many parts of the body who are often dependent on technology and other significant supports for daily life)
What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?
This syndrome made headlines when it first began to appear among children, several weeks after they’d had the COVID—and sometimes, even when they hadn’t. But it’s proven to be extremely rare.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious condition in which some parts of the body — such as the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, digestive system, brain, skin or eyes — become severely inflamed.
Evidence indicates that many of these children were infected with the COVID-19 virus in the past, as shown by positive antibody test results, suggesting that MIS-C is caused by an immune system reaction related to COVID-19.
Possible signs and symptoms of MIS-C include:
- Fever that lasts 24 hours or longer
- Redness or swelling of the lips and tongue
- Redness or swelling of the hands or feet
- Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
Emergency warning signs of MIS-C include:
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
MIS-C is rare, and most children who have it eventually get better with medical care. But some kids rapidly get worse, to the point where their lives are at risk.
The exact cause of MIS-C is not known yet, but it appears to be an excessive immune response related to COVID-19. Many children with MIS-C have a positive antibody test result. This means they’ve had a recent infection with the COVID-19 virus. Some may have a current infection with the virus.
Many specialists consider MIS-C to be a complication of COVID-19. Without early diagnosis and appropriate management and treatment, MIS-C can lead to severe problems with vital organs, such as the heart, lungs or kidneys. In rare cases, MIS-C could result in permanent damage or even death.
How is the transmission with kids?
Scientists have been trying to pinpoint children’s role in the spread of coronavirus since it first emerged. Research says that we need to assume that kids and adults are capable of transmitting the virus to other people.
Because so many children don’t show any symptoms, the idea that they could be unintentionally spreading the virus looms large. Researchers continue to examine the role children play in transmission.
Recent studies shows that children and babies as young as eight months old have been shown to transmit Covid-19 to adults after outbreaks at three childcare centres, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The findings come as schools and daycare facilities increasingly reopen to in-person contact, with the CDC continuing its research for guidance on controlling the spread of coronavirus.
Researchers said that previous studies have shown children aged over 10 years could spread the virus in schools, but this new study is clearer evidence it can be spread by younger children who don’t get severely sick. “Covid-19 is less severe in children than it is in adults, but children can still play a role in transmission,” the CDC report said.
The report recommended increasing testing, contact tracing, and increased hand hygiene to reduce transmission.
How to prevent kids from getting COVID?
Monitor your child for COVID-19 symptoms every day
Pay particular attention to:
- Fever (temperature 100.4 °F or higher)
- New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for a child with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, see if there is a change from their usual cough)
- Diarrhea, vomiting, or stomachache
- New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
Keep track of who your child comes into close contact with
Take precautions to protect your child if you are sick with COVID-19
If you are sick with COVID-19, you can take precautions to help prevent spreading the virus to your child and others.
REFERENCES:
1. COVID-19 (coronavirus) in babies and children
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-in-babies-and-children/art-20484405
2. COVID-19 in Children and Teens
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children/symptoms.html
3. What We Know About COVID-19 and Kids
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200722/what-we-know-about-covid-19-and-kids
4. Understanding of COVID-19 infections in children will aid treatment development, say researchers
https://www.drugtargetreview.com/news/57681/understanding-of-covid-19-infections-in-children-will-aid-treatment-development-say-researchers/
5. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and COVID-19.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mis-c-in-kids-covid-19/symptoms-causes/syc-20502550
6. Covid: Young children can spread coronavirus to adults, new CDC report says
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/covid-babies-children-spread-adults-coronavirus-schools-daycare-cdc-research-b431773.html
Kind regards,
Patrik
