Avian Flu Diary: Upcoming COCA Call (Feb 23rd): Evaluating and Supporting Children and Adolescents Presenting with Post-COVID Conditions

#17,302

Although children and adolescents tend to experience a less severe acute infection with COVID than many adults, they are not immune from harm. Nearly 10,000 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) have been reported in the United States alone, including 76 deaths.

Summary

The median age of patients with MIS-C was 9 years. Half of children with MIS-C were between the ages of 5 and 13 years.
57% of the reported patients with race/ethnicity information available (N=8,821) occurred in children who are Hispanic/Latino (2,324 patients) or Black, Non-Hispanic (2,679 patients).
98% of patients had a positive test result for SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The remaining 2% of patients had contact with someone with COVID-19.
60% of reported patients were male.

MIS-C isn't the only adverse outcome for children and adolescents with COVID.

Just over a year ago, the MMWR reported on increased risk among those 18 and younger of developing diabetes within 30 days of COVID infection, and we've seen studies indicating elevated rates of COVID-19–Associated Pulmonary Embolism in Pediatric Patients.

Last August, in MMWR: Post–COVID-19 Symptoms and Conditions Among Children and Adolescents we looked at a CDC study that found that the risks of experiencing several rare conditions (heart conditions, kidney failure, blood clots, and diabetes) rises sharply following COVID infection.

Further complicating matters, there is mounting evidence that the more times a person is infected with COVID, the greater the risk of permanent damage (see Nature: Acute and Postacute Sequelae Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection).

For now, most of that evidence has come from older individuals with comorbidities, so it may take several years before we can adequately judge its impact on a younger, healthier, cohort.

But a recent study (see EID Journal: Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in University Setting) found a surprisingly high incidence of post-COVID conditions (36%) in a relatively young (median age = 23), and healthy, cohort of university students.

Recognizing and treating post-COVID conditions in children and adolescents is, unfortunately, a growing concern.

On Thursday the CDC will hold a 1-hour COCA Call (webinar) for clinicians (see details below). These presentations are often technical, and are of greatest interest to clinicians and healthcare providers, but also may be of interest to the general public.

As always, If you are unable to attend the live presentation, these (and past) webinars are archived and available for later viewing at this LINK.

Evaluating and Supporting Children and Adolescents Presenting with Post-COVID Conditions

Overview

Post-COVID conditions (PCC), also referred to as Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is an umbrella term for the wide range of health consequences that are present 4 or more weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most children infected with SARS-CoV-2 have asymptomatic infection or mild acute symptoms with low rates of hospitalization and death. However, some children and adolescents, including those with mild or asymptomatic infection, develop post-acute manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss evaluating and supporting post-COVID conditions in children and adolescents and the recommended clinical approach to identifying and managing PCC in children and adolescents based on the “Multi-Disciplinary Collaborative Consensus Guidance Statement on the Assessment and Treatment of PASC in Children and Adolescents” published by the American Academy of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation (AAPM&R).

Presenters

Tarayn Fairlie, MD, MPH
Medical Officer
Applied Epidemiology Studies Team
Corona and Other Respiratory Viruses Division (CORVD) (proposed)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Louise Vaz, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Oregon Health & Science University

Amanda Morrow, MD
Co-director
Pediatric Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital

Laura Malone, MD, PhD
Co-Director
Pediatric Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital

Call Materials

Materials will be available prior to the webinar.