Children have a smaller risk than adults in experiencing severe cases of COVID-19 and coronavirus-related mortality. Yet they can still experience persistent symptoms beyond the initial infection, known as long COVID.

This is especially important because infection rates have escalated across a majority of the country, due to the Omicron variant. 

How Common is Long COVID in This Population?

Findings on long COVID in children have varied. One study on long COVID in children looked at a small population of 109 kids in Italy who had been infected with COVID-19. Researchers found that 42% of the children had at least one symptom two months post-diagnosis, and then this decreased to 27% at four months out.

Other research has found:

• 10-13% of children who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have symptoms more than five weeks, and 7-8% have them longer than 12 weeks, according to estimates from the United Kingdom’s Office of National Statistics
• One study followed the symptoms of more than 1,500 school-age children in the UK who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. About 4% of the children had symptoms that persisted longer than a month with about 2% experiencing symptoms longer than two months. 
• A preprint paper out of Switzerland found that 9% of COVID-positive children reported suffering from at least one symptom at four weeks to 4% at twelve weeks. They also found similar rates of symptoms in those who were tested negative for antibodies. 
• Additional data published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health indicates that between 1 and 8% of children have symptoms beyond 56 days.

What Symptoms do Children Experience?

Long COVID symptoms in children are similar to symptoms seen in adults, including:

• Fatigue
• Muscle and Joint Pain
• Problems with Concentration
• Headaches
• Loss of Taste or Smell
• Respiratory Problems
• Chest Tightness or Pain
• Heart Palpitations

Researchers are still unsure of the risk factors of long COVID, but some data suggests the risk is higher in older kids than younger kids. Additionally, confusion exists about severity of initial infection as a risk factor. “Many of the kids who are complaining of long COVID either had very mild disease or they were completely asymptomatic,”  explains Alicia Johnston, MD, an infectious disease specialist and head of the new post-COVID clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital.

There’s also no clear understanding as to what underlying conditions might predispose someone to develop long COVID.

Managing Long COVID

While risk factors need to be further explored, doctors are still able to help treat isolated symptoms. Long COVID clinics and hospital units are available for children seeking treatment for the condition. Additionally, medical professionals are suggesting vaccination as a possible technique for reducing symptom severity.

In fact, a survey of 900 people in the United Kingdom found that vaccination improved the severity of symptoms in 57% of participants, and under 7% experienced a worsening of their symptoms. Some researchers even think that vaccines might be able to eliminate any remaining virus or viral detritus, but data specific to children has yet to be explored.

*Willyard, C. (2021, July 13). Here’s what we know about kids and long covid. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/07/13/1028419/heres-what-we-know-about-kids-and-long-covid/

*Gurdasani, D. (2022, January 1) Long COVID in Children  https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(21)00342-4/fulltext

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.