As more children become infected with Covid-19, doctors are paying closer attention to potential long-term effects.
In adults, one of the most troublesome effects of Covid has been so-called long-distance cases, in which people whose disease initially seems moderate, have symptoms for months, sometimes diminishing over time. Now that doctors are warning that children may be more vulnerable to the virus than initially thought, researchers are also looking more closely at long-term symptoms in children.
Children now represent about 9% of all Covid-19 cases in the U.S., up from 2% in March, according to the most recent weekly report released by Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The number of Covid-19 cases of children has doubled since July 9, a total of 406,109 as of August 13th. According to cases reported from 49 states.
The majority of children experience mild illness or even no symptoms of Covid-19, doctors say. But some report symptoms that last for weeks, such as the development of post-viral syndromes. Reported symptoms include fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath and gastrointestinal problems.
“It’s an important area for study because we’re still learning a lot about the virus, especially about its effects on children,” said Sean O’Leary, vice president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Infectious Diseases, which itself experiences long-term symptoms of Covid-19. “At least acutely, it is less severe in children, but we also need to understand whether there are potential long-term effects.”
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