Not 'little adults': Experts say long COVID undercounted, misdiagnosed in kids
Research on long COVID in children is limited, with prevalence estimates ranging from less than 1% to 70%. Experts suggest that applying adult frameworks to pediatric cases leads to under diagnosis and misinterpretation of symptoms. Children often lack the vocabulary to describe symptoms like "brain fog" or "post-exertional malaise," resulting in manifestations such as declining academic performance or recurrent stomachaches being overlooked. Current studies are hindered by small sample sizes, reliance on parental surveys, lack of control groups, and short durations.