Post-COVID complications among Children: Endemic doesn’t mean the danger is any less

The third wave of COVID-19 is currently causing a lot of distress in India. However, unlike in the previous two waves, this time it’s children who are getting infected by the coronavirus. Making matters worse is the fact that there are no vaccines ready for use among children – currently, studies are underway of a few vaccine candidates for children. Besides, children can hardly be quarantined safely both because it may not be safe to let them be alone, and they may not be able to take care of themselves if left alone.

The situation calls for urgent attention from the Central and State governments. For one, the government needs to reconsider how safe it is to reopen schools under the current circumstances. Clearly, unvaccinated children are in a very vulnerable position during this third wave.

Children impacted by COVID-19 in this third wave are reported to be showing signs of anxiety, sadness mood swings and temper tantrums. Developmental disorders such as neurocognition, speech impairment, attention deficiency and movement disorders are also reported from many impacted children.

Dr. Velchuri Chandra Sekhar, Consultant Pediatrician, Kamineni Hospitals, Vijayawada said, “Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MISC-s) is a rare and serious post-COVID-19 complication among children. Children diagnosed with the MIS-C condition are known to suffer from severe inflammation in various organs of the body, including heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, digestive system, brain, skin and eyes.”

“Health complications among children have become a major concern for all hospitals. Some children have been diagnosed with diabetes in this phase of post COVID-19. However, enough studies have not yet been done to indicate clearly whether the virus is causing the diabetes, or whether the virus is triggering diabetes in an already susceptible child. So, at this stage, parents are advised to stay calm and take all precautions for their children,” Dr. Chandra Sekhar added.