Long COVID in Young Children, School-Aged Children, and Teens
This JAMA Pediatrics Patient Page describes the symptoms of long COVID in children.
Children face elevated health risks for years after covid
Researchers found that those with SARS-CoV-2 infections had a 63% increased risk of developing one or more cardiovascular conditions—including arrhythmias, heart inflammation, chest pain, palpitations, and hypertension—compared to those with negative tests and no documented history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These risks were elevated regardless of whether the patient had a congenital heart defect (CHD).
Young patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests had a 17 percent higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease tested at stage 2 or higher, indicating mild kidney damage that still functioned well, and 35 percent higher risk of chronic kidney disease at stage 3 or higher, meaning there is mild to severe damage impacting kidney function, from one month to two years after infection.
Patients who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test—compared to those with a negative test—had a 25 percent increased risk of developing at least one gastrointestinal symptom or disorder in the post-acute phase, and a 28 percent increased risk in the “chronic phase” from six months to two years after the SARS-CoV-2 test.
COVID-19 re-infection doubles risk of long COVID in kids, young adults, data reveal
The second infection was also tied to a 50% or greater increase in several specific long-COVID conditions, including myocarditis and fatigue.
Neurocognitive and emotional long-term effects of COVID-19 infections in children and adolescents: results from a clinical survey in Bavaria, Germany - BMC Infectious Diseases
"Analyzing the neuropsychiatric symptoms of PCS in children and adolescents, we found that fatigue, loss of motivation, attention and memory deficits, and affective disorders were the most common, in line with previous findings [11]. The psychopathological examination resulted in 83.5% of patients being rated as abnormal, therefore clearly surmounting the point prevalence of mental illness among children and adolescents (15%) [46] or the COPSY study reporting 30% of children and adolescents in Germany showing psychological abnormalities during the pandemic [47]. More than 50% of our patients had a psychiatric post-COVID diagnosis, with the post-COVID adjustment disorder and post-COVID attention disorder being the most prevalent. Cognitive deficits were mostly evident in the domain of sustained attention."
Tests show emotional, behavioral problems in adolescents with long COVID
"Most children had elevated levels of fatigue (82.4%), loss of motivation (72.9%), impaired concentration and attention (71.8%), and worsened mood (53%), and 31.8% reported more anxiety. The most common diagnoses were post-COVID adjustment disorder (38.8%) and post-COVID attention-deficit disorder (23.5%). Disturbances in attention and memory, drive and psychomotor activity, affect, circadian disturbances, and worries and compulsions were common."
Study shows infants exposed to COVID in utero at risk for developmental delay
At 12 months, 20.3% of [in utero] COVID-exposed children and 5.9% of the controls received a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay.
For kids with long COVID, "back to school" often means not returning at all
Far from rare, long COVID in kids is devastating families. Experts say schools can help their students
ANALYSIS: Why are B.C. kids sick all the time? Health experts explain
The consequences of repeated COVID-19 infections are now becoming clear in B.C., across Canada and around the world.
Post-discharge outcomes of hospitalized children diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 or MIS-C
In a group of hospitalized US children, a 2024 study found that almost a third (29.1%) were not recovered up to 4.4 years later and 67% overall had new or persistent symptoms/
Researchers Aim to Pull Back the Curtain on Long COVID in Kids
“We have convincing evidence that COVID-19 is not just a mild, benign illness for children,” said Lawrence C. Kleinman, a professor of pediatrics and population health expert at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) and the study’s third co-author. “There are children who are clearly disabled by long COVID for long periods of time.”
What Does Long COVID Look Like in Kids? — Cleveland Clinic
Kids and teens who get Covid more prone to diabetes, study finds — Washington Post
Pediatric long-COVID levels hold steady in US, result in activity limitations
Developmental impairment in children exposed during pregnancy to maternal SARS-COV2: A Brazilian cohort study
20.3% of children whose mothers had Covid during pregnancy and 5.9% of the control group received a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay within 12 months of life.
CHOP Researchers Find Elevated Biomarker Related to Blood Vessel Damage in All Children with SARS-CoV-2 Regardless of Disease Severity
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found elevated levels of a biomarker related to blood vessel damage in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, even if the children had minimal or no symptoms of COVID-19. They also found that a high proportion of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection met clinical and diagnostic criteria for thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). TMA is a syndrome that involves clotting in the small blood vessels and has been identified as a potential cause for severe manifestations of COVID-19 in adults.
Type 1 Diabetes Incidence and Risk in Children With a Diagnosis of COVID-19
Examining data in over 1 million children from medical records, the incidence of type I diabetes diabetes was increased 2x among those infected with COVID-19 in the first 3 months post-COVID, but risk remained elevated up to 15 months compared to those without a diagnosis of COVID.
Comparative study showed that children faced a 78% higher risk of new-onset conditions after they had COVID-19
![Long COVID impacting more than 1 million [American] children: CDC study suggests](https://rdl.ink/render/https%3A%2F%2Fs.abcnews.com%2Fimages%2FHealth%2Flong-covid-kids-as-jm-250203_1738592744610_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg?width=350&height=&ar=16:9&mode=crop&format=avif&dpr=2)
Long COVID impacting more than 1 million [American] children: CDC study suggests
More than 1 million American children were affected by Long Covid in 2023 alone.
Neurodevelopmental delay in children exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 in-utero
Around 11.6% of toddlers born to mothers with lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy showed cognitive, motor, or language problems indicative of neurodevelopmental delays. By comparison, only two of 128 unexposed controls — 1.6% — showed such issues.
Increased post-COVID-19 behavioral, emotional, and social problems in Taiwanese children
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has remarkably impacted children's me…
Frontiers | Diagnostic challenges of long COVID in children: a survey of pediatric health care providers’ preferences and practices
IntroductionGiven the challenges in diagnosing children with long COVID, we sought to explore diagnostic practices and preferences among clinicians.MethodsA ...
Consequences beyond acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in children
Understanding the drivers of pediatric Long Covid and MIS-C is essential for developing therapeutic interventions.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Among Pediatric Patients
Cohort study of over 600K patient records found that children and teenagers who have had Covid are 50% more likely to develop diabetes.
Onset of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) Following COVID-19 Infection: A Pediatric Case Report
Children and adolescents experience unique long COVID symptoms
A study characterizes childhood long COVID, revealing distinct symptoms in children and adolescents, highlighting the need for tailored diagnostic approaches.
A 24-month National Cohort Study examining long-term effects of COVID-19 in children and young people
Communications Medicine - Stephenson, Pinto Pereira et al. investigate the proportion of children and young people with Post Covid-19 condition 24-months post-infection. Only 7.2% meet the...
University of Alberta researchers retract COVID study, citing multiple errors | CBC News
A University of Alberta study on long COVID in children has been retracted.
Neuroimaging findings in children with COVID-19 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Scientific Reports - Neuroimaging findings in children with COVID-19 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of toddlers with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the neonatal period: a prospective observational study - Italian Journal of Pediatrics
Background The effect of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus in the neonatal period on developing brain is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 & Delta variant. Methods At a tertiary referral center, a prospective observational cohort research was carried out. All babies who were equal to or more than 34 gestational weeks gestation and were admitted to the NICU between January 2021 and January 2022 due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (Delta - or Delta +) were included in the study. Infants who were hospitalized for non-SARS-CoV-2 reasons at similar dates and who had no history of invasive mechanical ventilation were incorporated as a control group using a 2:1 gender and gestational age match. Thirty infants were assigned to the study group and sixty newborns to the control group based on the sample size calculation. These toddlers’ neurodevelopment was evaluated between the ages of 18 and 24 months using the Bayley-II scale. Results We enrolled 90 infants. SARS-CoV-2-positive infants had poorer psychomotor development index (PDI) scores and significantly greater mildly delayed performances (MDPs) at 18–24 months (PDI p = 0.05, MDPs p = 0.03, respectively). Delta variant showed statistically significant lower MDI and PDI scores (MDI p=0.03, PDI p=0.03, respectively). A smaller head circumference of SARS-CoV-2-positive toddlers was detected in the first year (p
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Children With Long... : The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
VID (LC), while the evidence about its role in children with this condition is scarce. Methods: Prospective, case-controlled observational study. Children with LC and a control group of healthy children underwent CPET. CPET findings were compared within the 2 groups, and within the LC groups according to main clusters of persisting symptoms. Results: Sixty-one children with LC and 29 healthy controls were included. Overall, 90.2% of LC patients (55 of 61) had a pathologic test vs 10.3% (3/29) of the healthy control. Children with LC presented a statistically significant higher probability of having abnormal values of peak VO2 (P = 0.001), AT% pred (P