Children infected with COVID-19 may not show typical symptoms, experts say
TORONTO, Ontario (CTV Network) — A new study has found that the majority of children infected with COVID-19 may not show typical symptoms including fever, cough or shortness of breath.
As a result, the study’s authors say more vigilance is needed when screening children for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The study, conducted by researchers out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), also found that children with COVID-19 may develop poor clinical outcomes such as hospitalization and mechanical ventilation.
“While the rates of poor clinical outcomes are relatively lower in children when compared to adults, 5-6 per cent still required hospitalization. Among those hospitalized, 18 per cent required critical care and 4 per cent needed a ventilator for breathing,” Vibhu Parcha, a clinical research fellow at UAB and the study’s lead author, said in a press release.