COVID-19 in Pediatrics: Clinical Manifestations

Abstract

Coronaviruses are important human and animal pathogens. In late 2019, a new coronavirus was identified as the cause of a group of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in China’s Hubei province. It spread rapidly, resulting in an epidemic across China, followed by a growing number of cases in other countries of the world. The virus that causes COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus 2 of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Currently, pediatric cases are less frequent than adults, with different presentation forms and milder symptoms and with a better prognosis. Most had exposure to household members with confirmed COVID-19. Children are just as likely as adults to get infected. In Honduras until June 17, 2020, the cases reported in the 0-18 age group represent 6.2%. Pediatric patients may present with symptoms that vary from mild symptoms
to multi-organ failure. Infection with this new strain of coronavirus generates a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from respiratory, dermatological, neurological, ophthalmic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, cardiac and hematological involvement. Fortunately, most pediatric patients are asymptomatic or with upper respiratory symptoms, comprising approximately 90% of cases, which recover within 1-2 weeks after the onset of symptoms. In neonatal cases the majority (> 90%) of newborns of mothers with COVID-19 are asymptomatic and do not present complications at birth, including those where SARS-CoV-2 infection is corroborated.