A new study has shown that a majority of children who have been diagnosed with the rare and severe inflammatory disease might have had COVID19 infection initially with no symptoms or have had a mild infection. The study has noted that odd post-infection conditions have been seen to be milder in children, who have been down with COVID19. However, more than half of kids who have been affected by the condition have been given intensive hospital care. The study has been done by experts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The findings of the study have been released in JAMA Pediatrics. The study has analyzed the cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in kids across the US and the evidence of bolsters that is a stalled immune response to COVID19.
The study has looked at nearly 1800 cases that have been reported to the CDC from March 2020 to mid-January 2021. The majority of kids have been below 15 years but experts have included those who have been up to 20 years of age. Experts have found that a surge in MIS-C cases has been seen two to five weeks after COVID19 peaks. Experts have said that these cases have followed the transmission of initial infection from urban to rural areas. The CDC data has shown that there is a rising surge in the pediatric issue that has been consistent with that trend.
The CDC has reported there have been a total of 3185 cases of this pediatric condition in the US. There have been around 36 deaths among children due to the condition. The authors of the study have said that state reports are not on time always; therefore, it is unclear how many children might have been diagnosed with this condition in the US since the study has completed. They have said that most kids who have been diagnosed with COVID19 are not diagnosed with the post-infection disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association have released their data that have shown that nearly 3.5 million children and teenagers have been diagnosed with COVID19.
The first case of this pediatric condition (MIS-C) has been reported in late winter and spring last year in Europe. Experts have said that in some cases that do not show any symptoms and have undiagnosed COVID19 infections can be mistaken for Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki disease is a rare condition that can lead to red skin, swelling, and heart problems.
Dr. Sean O’Leary, who is the vice-chairperson of the Pediatrics’ Academy’s Infectious Disease Committee, has said that inflammatory condition makes kids very ill quite faster. However, most of them respond to the treatment quite well and get better completely. This condition can be treated by steroids and other medications, which can treat inflammation, said the experts. The authors of the study have said that the condition can be prevented by keeping COVID19 infection at bay. They have noted that vaccination might be a good way to prevent COVID19 infection. Experts have said that there are many clinical trials that are underway to test the COVID19 vaccines for children. The CDC authors of the study have said that fever has been the most common symptom of this condition among children.
Around half of the kids who have been dealing with this condition and have been enrolled in this study have reported having abdominal pain, red rashes, vomiting, and diarrhea. Nearly one-third of patients have complained of having heart inflammation and other cardiac issues. The authors of the study that has been conducted by the CDC have said that these symptoms have been least common in kids who have been up to 4 years of age. These kids have at a lower risk of being admitted to intensive care as compared to older children.
