International study finds triggers for long COVID in children

• Children that had multiple COVID-19 symptoms are at higher risk for long virus.
• Common symptoms of virus include fatigue, weakness, cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
• Long COVID was found in nearly 10% of children among 1,884 children with COVID.

A new international study found lead causes for long COVID in children aged 14 and over.

Those that had multiple COVID-19 symptoms are at higher risk for long virus. The most common symptoms of the virus include fatigue, weakness, cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

“We found that in some children, illness with COVID-19 is associated with reporting persistent symptoms after three months,” said Stephen Freedman, professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine and co-principal investigator of the study, in a university release. 

“Our results suggest that appropriate guidance and follow-up are needed, especially for children at high risk for long COVID.”

The study followed up with 1,884 children with COVID with four or more symptoms at the initial emergency department visit. Among them, long COVID was found in nearly 10% of the children and 5% of those discharged from the emergency department.

The study was co-led by a team of researchers from UC Davis Health, the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

The study was published in JAMA Network Open.