Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Infection in the Pediatric Age Group
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Huseyin Gumus 1 * , Yasin Ozcan 2 , Halil Kazanasmaz 1 , Abit Demir 1 , Ahmet Guzelcicek 1
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1 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Harran University, Sanliurfa, TURKEY2 Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, TURKEY* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the complaints and findings of COVID-19 infection in a paediatric age group.
Material and Method: The study included 130 patients with COVID-19 infection confirmed with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test positivity. The cases were evaluated in respect of demographic data, such as age and gender, and clinical findings, such as fever, weight, cough, shortness of breath, and history of infectious contact. 
Results: Evaluation was made of 130 COVID-19-positive paediatric patients, comprising 69 (53%) males and 61 (47%) females, of which 54% were asymptomatic and 5.4% had severe clinical findings requiring follow up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Of the symptomatic patients, fever was determined in 30%, listlessness in 24%, cough in 10.8%, respiratory problems in 9.2%, diarrhea in 6.2%, abdominal pain in 6.2%, vomiting in 2.3%, joint pain in 2.3%, and convulsions developed in 1.5% who had no previous history of convulsions. Of the 7 patients who required intensive care, 2 had cerebral palsy, 1 had hydrocephaly+shunt, 1 had metabolic disease (propionic acidemia), 2 had a history of trauma (struck by a motor vehicle), and in 1 there was no comorbidity. Mortality developed in 6 of the 7 patients in ICU.
Conclusion: In a significant proportion of children, COVID-19 has an asymptomatic course, which contributes greatly to the spread of the disease. While COVID-19 can cause morbidities such as convulsions in the paediatric population, it may also result in mortality in children with underlying serious diseases.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 18, Issue 5, October 2021, Article No: em308

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/11019

Publication date: 24 Jun 2021

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