Coronavirus global pandemic: An overview of current findings among pediatric patients

Abstract

Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) epidemic has been emerged as a cardinal public health problem. Children have their own specific clinical features; notably, they seem to be escaping the severe respiratory adverse effects. The international scientific community is rapidly carrying out studies, driving to the need to reassess knowledge of the disease and therapeutic strategies. Aim To assess the characteristics of COVID‐19 infected children worldwide of all ages, from neonates to children and adolescents, and how they differ from their adult counterparts. Search Strategy An electronic search in PubMed was conducted, using combinations of the following keywords: coronavirus, SARS‐CoV‐2, COVID‐19, children. The search included all types of articles written in English between January 1, 2019 until August 15, 2020. Results The search identified 266 relevant articles. Children were mainly within family clusters of cases and have relatively milder clinical presentation compared with adults; children were reported to have better outcomes with a significantly lower mortality rate. Cough and fever were the most common symptoms while pneumonia was the cardinal respiratory manifestation of infected children. Laboratory results and thoracic imaging give varying results. Conclusions Children were mainly family cluster cases and usually presented with a mild infection, although cases presented with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome are becoming more apparent. Studies determining why the manifestations of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are so variable may help to gain a better understanding of the disease and accelerate the development of vaccines and therapies.

Specific Susceptibility to COVID-19 in Adults with Down Syndrome

“…Pulmonary hypertension is diagnosed in 13% of those with DS (Berger et al 2012 ). This condition and developmental lung anomalies (Cooney & Thurlbeck, 1982 ) may combine to increase the risk of COVID-19 in people with DS (Bush et al 2020 ), due to reduced oxygen capacity and supply.…”

Coronavirus (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Evaluate the Significance of Demographics and Comorbidities

“…Studies suggest that children of all ages are susceptible to the infection, with a signi cant role in community-based virus transmission [59], and the number of pediatric patients may increase in the future unless stringent measures are undertaken [60]. A recent meta-analysis based on 266 relevant articles and letters showed that children have milder than adults symptoms but with variable manifestations and signi cantly better mortality outcome [61].…”

Topic Sessions

“…However, most studies have shown that children with COVID‐19, besides those developing PIMS‐TS, have a mild clinical course, much milder than that seen in adults with COVID‐19. (2) Moreover, no study in children has demonstrated a higher risk of hospitalization or severe COVID‐19 disease in children with chronic respiratory conditions. In a systematic review including patients from both HIC and LMICs, asthma was not associated with increased risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, intubation or death.…”

“…Schools and nurseries closed, except for the children of key workers. However, the data rapidly showed that in fact children generally had a mild illness [2,3], and very few were admitted to Intensive care [4], albeit there was a rare and severe vasculitic syndrome complicating CoVID [5]. These and other reassuring data led to challenges to the concept that lockdown was necessary or desirable.…”