CDC, COVID-19 Infections in children
Number and rate of cases, steadily increasing from March to July 2020
True incidence not known
As of 3rd August
0 – 17 years
22% of the US population
7.3% of all cases
Hospitalization rates in children, significantly lower
It is unclear
If children are as susceptible to infection compared with adults
If they can transmit the virus as effectively as adults
Children likely have the same or higher viral loads
Children can spread the virus effectively in households and camp settings
Community mitigation measures and school closures, therefore low transmission so far
Clinical Presentation
Incubation period, about the same as adults, at 2-14 days with an average of 6 days
Signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in children include:
Cough
Fever
Fatigue
Headache
Myalgia
Nasal congestion or rhinorrhea
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting
Poor appetite or poor feeding
May have many of these non-specific symptoms
May only have a few (such as only upper respiratory symptoms or only gastrointestinal symptoms)
May be asymptomatic
16%
45%
Differential diagnosis
Influenza
Streptococcal pharyngitis
Allergic rhinitis
Lack of specificity of signs or symptoms, significant proportion of asymptomatic infections, symptom-based screening challenging
Severity of Illness in Children
Less likely to develop severe illness compared with adults
Still at risk of developing severe illness and complications
Rate of hospitalization, 8.0 per 100,000 population
(Adults 164.5 per 100,000 population)
hospitalization rates in children are increasing
1 in 3 children hospitalized were admitted to the intensive care unit, (same as hospitilized adults)
Increases risk
Certain underlying medical conditions
Infants (age under 1 year)
Comorbidities
Medical complexity
Genetic
Neurologic
Metabolic
Obesity
Diabetes
Asthma
Chronic lung disease
Sickle cell disease
Immunosuppression
Hospitalization rates
Higher among Hispanic/Latino
Black
Complications
Respiratory failure
Myocarditis
Shock
Acute renal failure
Coagulopathy,
Multi-organ system failure
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
