Most children recover from long COVID symptoms, but there are still some that don’t.
Kids have suffered from headaches lasting for over a year, trouble breathing, developmental issues, and diabetes due to COVID.
According to the CDC, 2-3% of kids suffer from these symptoms after having COVID and doctors don’t know why.
A study in Russia shows that 25% of children sent home had symptoms for up to eight months after having the virus, but most of them recovered.
Even though it’s only 2-3% of children suffering from these symptoms, that is not a small number.
5 million kids have been infected in the U.S., meaning 100,000 kids are likely to suffer from long COVID symptoms.
MIS-C
Another medical issue seen in children who have had the virus is multisystem inflammatory syndrome, which could be a symptom of long COVID. This causes inflammation in multiple organs throughout the body and shows up several weeks after the infection. Though it’s rare, it could lead to death.
There have been 4,661 cases identified by the CDC since the pandemic began.
It’s disproportionately affected children who are Black and Latino, and is more likely to show up in boys.
How do symptoms for children manifest?
Many children are suffering the same type of symptoms as adults with long COVID.
Common symptoms include fatigue, headaches, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, sleep disturbances, decreased endurance or poor conditioning, pain, rashes, loss of smell or distorted smells.
Children have reported longer lasting rapid heart rates.
These symptoms can also impact a child’s ability to pay attention during school and create feelings of frustration.
How long will it last?
Nobody has answers to how long these long symptoms can last in kids.
Some doctors are using their methods for treating mononucleosis in kids with long COVID, resetting their physiology and focusing on resting and increasing exercise slowly.
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