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Long-term Covid-19 Symptoms Rare In Children, Most Kids Recover Within A Week

Long-term Covid-19 Symptoms Rare In Children, Most Kids Recover Within A Week
Only one in 50 children had symptoms lasting more than 8 weeks.

The most common symptoms reported in children were headaches, tiredness (fatigue), a sore throat, and loss of smell.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori |Updated : August 4, 2021 6:56 PM IST

Many people who have recovered from COVID-19 and tested negative for the coronavirus continue to experience some symptoms for longer than usual. This condition is known by several names: long COVID, post-COVID syndrome, long-term COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). People living with long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms are sometimes known as "long haulers." In most cases, mild or moderate COVID-19 lasts about two weeks, but long haulers may experience lingering health problems for weeks or months. Long-term symptoms, however, are rare in children, said a new study giving some relief to worried parents.

Most children with Covid-19 recover within a week, and only a small percentage experiences long-term symptoms, revealed the study published in the journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

Most common symptoms reported in children

According to the study by researchers at King's College London, the most common symptoms reported in children were headaches, tiredness (fatigue), a sore throat, and loss of smell (anosmia). Less than one in 20 children experienced Covid symptoms lasting longer than four weeks, and almost all children recovered fully by eight weeks, it said.

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They researchers found no reports of serious neurological symptoms such as fits or seizures, impaired concentration or attention, or anxiety.

It is reassuring that long-lasting Covid-19 symptoms are rare in kids, but the study also validates children do experience long illness with Covid-19, noted Professor Emma Duncan, from King's College in London.

Covid-19 lasts for just a week in most children

The study is based on the daily health reports logged in the ZOE Covid Symptom Study app by parents or carers. It had health data of more than 250,000 children aged 5-17, and nearly 7,000 of these kids were having symptoms consistent with Covid-19 and a positive test during the study period, i.e. from September 2020 through to February 2021.

Analysis of the data showed that, on average, the illness lasted for five days in younger children (5 to 11 years old) and seven days in older children aged 12 to 17. Less than one in 20 experienced symptoms for 4 weeks or more, while only one in 50 had symptoms lasting more than 8 weeks, the authors stated.

Also, the study found that children infected with coronavirus were ill for longer period compared to children with other illnesses who tested negative for Covid-19 (an average of 6 days' illness with Covid-19 v/s 3 days with other illnesses). But children with other illnesses tended to have more symptoms than those who were ill with Covid-19.

Causes of post-COVID syndrome

The Covid-19 virus can attack the body in a range of ways, causing damage to multiple organs including the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys and liver.

In severe case, COVID-19 can cause scarring and other permanent damage in the lungs, resulting in persistent shortness of breath or breathing issues after COVID-19. But even people with mild infections are experiencing persistent shortness of breath.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome is not just afflicting people with severely ill, but it is happening in people who have mild symptoms as well.

With inputs from agencies