Study Shows Long COVID Can Affect Kids of All Ages

Even the youngest kids can experience long COVID, according to a large study, one of the first of its kind to include babies, infants, and toddlers.

The study included 44,000 children in Denmark aged zero through 14 years old and was published in the journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health on Wednesday, June 22. Of the children who participated in the study, 11,000 had tested positive for COVID-19 between January 2020 and July 2021.

While symptoms associated with long COVID are general ailments kids can experience even without COVID-19, such as mood swings, stomach problems, tiredness, and headaches, the children in the study who had previously tested positive for the deadly coronavirus were more likely to experience at least one symptom for two months or more than the kids who never tested positive for COVID.

Most common symptoms varied by age in children

The study also found that a third of children who had tested positive for COVID-19 experienced at least one long-term symptom that was not present before testing positive for the coronavirus.

The study showed that the most common symptoms varied by age. For children up through the age of three, it was rashes, stomach aches, and mood swings. Children between the ages of four and 11 also experienced concentration and memory problems. For children in the 12 to 14 age bracket, it was mood swings, fatigue, and memory and concentration issues, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).

Children under the age of three seemed to have the most problems compared to kids not diagnosed with COVID. Forty percent experienced symptoms two months after testing positive for COVID compared with the 27 percent in the group that did not have the coronavirus.

Study co-author Selina Kikkenborg Berg, a professor of cardiology at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, said that their findings align with previous studies of long COVID and adolescents, showing that although the chances of children experiencing long COVID are low especially compared to the control group, it must be recognized and treated seriously.

Read Also: What Parents Should Know About Pfizer and Moderna's COVID Vaccines for Youngest Children

Still unclear how many kids suffer from long COVID

Some experts said it is still unclear how many children have long COVID and for how long because there is not enough research on it in this age group. A study conducted in 2021 suggested more than half of kids between the ages of six and 16 had at least one symptom that lasted more than four months.

Some research puts the number in adults in around 30 percent of cases. There are no specific tests for long COVID yet. It is still unclear which kids will have it, as it can happen even when a child has a mild case of COVID-19.

In addition to showing scientists the characteristics of long COVID in kids, the study also revealed that even the children who did not get COVID felt the impact of the pandemic. 

That group reported a few more social and psychological problems than kids who had COVID, according to CNN.

Related Article: Long Wait is Finally Over for US Parents as CDC Approves COVID Vaccines for Youngest Children