Zdorovʹe Rebenka (Sep 2021)

COVID-19 in children

  • N.S. Kosmynina,
  • I.Yu. Avramenko,
  • O.L. Luchkovska

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22141/2224-0551.16.5.2021.239714
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 5
pp. 351 – 354

Abstract

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Background. In 2020, a new human coronavirus, called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), became a pandemic, causing the disease course from mild symptoms to severe cases. In this article we analyze the features of the course of coronavirus disease among children from 3 to 18 years. Materials and methods. Medical records of 69 pediatric inpatients aged 3 to 18 years were analysed. They were hospitalized in the Lviv Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital “OHMATDYT” from April to December 2020 with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease. Laboratory tests for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were performed in samples of nasopharyngeal swabs by polymerase chain reaction at the Lviv Regional Laboratory Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The results were processed statistically using Excel software from Microsoft Office 2019 packages. Results. It was found that 88.4 % of children came into contact with infected family members. The presence of comorbidities was observed in 17.3 % of patients. The main manifestations of coronavirus disease in children were: fever > 38 °C — 52.2 %, < 38 °C — 39.1 %, sore throat — 14.5 %, runny nose — 13 %, loss of smell and taste — 8.7 %, cough — 24.6 %, abdominal pain and diarrhea — 10.1 %, general weakness — 52.2 %. Laboratory examination showed leukocytosis in 5.9 % of children, leukopenia in 53.6 %. Pneumonia was observed in 36.2 % of cases. Two patients had complications in the form of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which had a severe, life-threatening course. In the period from 14 to 48 days after COVID-19, this syndrome was diagnosed in 10 children. Conclusions. Children, regardless of age, are susceptible to coronavirus and have not been the primary source of SARS-CoV-2 in the family. The clinical course of the disease was manifested in most cases by fever and general weakness. Pneumonia was observed in 36.2 % of patients, severe complications in the form of systemic inflammatory response syndrome was detected in 2 children on the background of the acute course of the disease and in 10 children this syndrome occurred within 48 days after COVID-19.

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