![]() There is limited evidence about which underlying medical conditions in children might increase the risk for severe illness.11,14 Of the children who have developed severe illness from COVID-19, most have had underlying medical conditions. 19,20Ĭurrent evidence suggests that children with certain underlying medical conditions and infants (age <1 year) might be at increased risk for severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection. 18 About 1 in 3 children hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States were admitted to the intensive care unit, similar to the rate among adults. Weekly COVID-19 hospitalization surveillance data show that the rate of hospitalization among children is low compared with that of adults, but hospitalization rates among children are increasing. While children infected with SARS-CoV-2 are less likely to develop severe illness compared with adults, children are still at risk of developing severe illness and complications from COVID-19. The lack of specificity of signs or symptoms and the significant proportion of asymptomatic infections make symptom-based screening for identification of SARS-CoV-2 in children particularly challenging. 17 The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in children are similar to those of other infections and noninfectious processes, including influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and allergic rhinitis. 11-15 A recent systematic review estimated that 16% of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection are asymptomatic, 16 but evidence suggests that as many as half of pediatric infections may be asymptomatic. The most common symptoms in children are cough and/or fever. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathingĬhildren infected with SARS-CoV-2 may have many of these non-specific symptoms, only have a few (such as only upper respiratory symptoms or only gastrointestinal symptoms), or may be asymptomatic.Signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in children include: The incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be about the same for children as in adults, at 2-14 days with an average of 6 days. Symptoms and Severity of COVID-19 in Children Clinical Presentation Comparing trends in pediatric infections before and after the return to child care, in-person school, youth sports and other activities may enhance our understanding about infections in children. This may explain the low incidence in children compared with adults. ![]() 8,9ĭue to community mitigation measures and school closures, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to and among children may have been reduced in the United States during the pandemic in the spring and early summer of 2020. ![]() Recent evidence suggests that compared to adults, children likely have similar viral loads in their nasopharynx, 7 similar secondary infections rates, and can spread the virus to others. Infections and Transmission Among Children 5,6 Visit CDC’s COVID Data Tracker page for current data. Hospitalization rates in children are significantly lower than hospitalization rates in adults with COVID-19, suggesting that children may have less severe illness from COVID-19 compared to adults. The true incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is not known due to lack of widespread testing and the prioritization of testing for adults and those with severe illness. 4 The number and rate of cases in children in the United States have been steadily increasing since March 2020. population, 3 the most recent data, available through the CDC, show that some cases of COVID-19 in the United States reported to CDC were among children. 1,2 While children comprise 22% of the U.S. In the United States and globally, fewer cases of COVID-19 have been reported in children (age 0-17 years) compared with adults. Infections Among Children Incidence of COVID-19 in Children
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