Symptoms of COVID-19 in children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to review the symptomatic manifestations of COVID-19 in children in the scientific literature.

A Review on the Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Management of COVID-19 Disease in South African Children in Comparison to the World

“…COVID-19 is reported to have been transmitted by the intermediate host pangolin to an adult human being in China and the rest of the world and South Africa [7][8][9]15]. COVID-19 in children is mainly transmitted through contact with those infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Figure 1) and the period of virus incubation is from 24 hours to 14 days [13,16]. The virus spreads through contact with respiratory droplets, and COVID-19 in most children can also be excreted through urine, feces, aerosols, and body fluids that also contaminate the environment and continue the circle of infection (Figure 1) [13].…”

“…The virus spreads through contact with respiratory droplets, and COVID-19 in most children can also be excreted through urine, feces, aerosols, and body fluids that also contaminate the environment and continue the circle of infection (Figure 1) [13]. Children with COVID-19 have milder symptoms affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal tract, and neurological systems [13,16]. COVID-19 symptoms and signs in children include fever, cough, nasal congestion, headache, dyspnea, sore throat, ageusia, anosmia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, malaise, and myalgia [17].…”

“…COVID-19 symptoms and signs in children include fever, cough, nasal congestion, headache, dyspnea, sore throat, ageusia, anosmia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, malaise, and myalgia [17]. Other children can become critically ill, and require hospitalization, intensive care, or mechanical ventilation or die, or in rare cases develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) [13,15,16]. MIS is characterized by hypotension, pulmonary edema, and edema of other organs, necessitating intensive care to support the heart and lungs [16].…”

“…Other children can become critically ill, and require hospitalization, intensive care, or mechanical ventilation or die, or in rare cases develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) [13,15,16]. MIS is characterized by hypotension, pulmonary edema, and edema of other organs, necessitating intensive care to support the heart and lungs [16]. The first case of MIS-C in SA was reported in August 2020 in Cape Town [17].…”

“…The first case of MIS-C in SA was reported in August 2020 in Cape Town [17]. COVID-19 is more prevalent in adults than in children less than 18 years [11,16,18].…”