The symptoms of the coronavirus are now well known to all. Fever, dry and persistent cough as well as loss of taste and smell are the main clinical signs of Covid-19 disease. However, it manifests itself differently in children, according to a study in the English newspaper The Guardian.
Different symptoms in children
The results of a study, published Sept. 7, highlights symptoms experienced in children or described by parents. Although less affected and for the most part asymptomatic, children can show signs of the coronavirus. Scientists analyzed the symptom reports of 198 children who tested positive for Covid-19, out of 16,000 tested. According to their results, they claim that more than half of children are symptomatic: 55% are very tired and 54% have headaches. Regarding sore throats, they are felt by 38% of children against 35% who have a loss of appetite (they skipped a meal). Finally, 15% of children have a rash and 13% have diarrhea. The aim of this study is to determine the symptoms of the new coronavirus according to age, in order to warn doctors and parents, so as not to miss a possible infection in children.
A single symptom may be a sign of the disease in the child
With the start of the school year, each year parents have to consult the doctor for mild illnesses, such as the common cold. However, they are now seeing unusual symptoms, such as skin lesions. Usually, reddish and purplish, raised bumps in the skin may appear, on the fingers and toes. They are similar to frostbite and are itchy. Not all children have skin changes, but Covid-19 can manifest itself in this way alone (1 in 6 children, according to Professor Tim Spector). It is not easy to differentiate the clinical signs of a cold from those of the coronavirus. For this reason, in the slightest doubt, parents are advised to consult a health professional. It is important to highlight the results of this study, to reduce the risk of epidemics in schools: “what we want to do here is not to push [les enfants] to undergo tests, but simply to keep them away from school [s’ils présentent des symptômes]», Declared the Professor.
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