Latest news with #Tanayott(Tony)Thaweethai
News18
3 days ago
- Health
- News18
Long COVID In Young Children Raises Concern: Check Symptoms
Last Updated: A recent study has revealed that long COVID in young children differ significantly from those seen in older children and adults. Several countries around the world, including India, are witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases once again. While the infection leads to respiratory symptoms for a few days, some health consequences may last longer than expected. Long COVID is one of the biggest complications of the COVID-19 pandemic that can affect you for weeks and even months. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long COVID is a chronic condition that can persist for three months or longer after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. It has a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing. Shedding light on how long COVID affects young children, researchers at Mass General Brigham recently listed the key symptoms that can be difficult to detect. The research, published in JAMA Paediatrics, evaluated over 1,000 children across the United States, including 472 infants and toddlers (under age 2) and 539 preschoolers (ages 3 to 5). Long COVID in children: Symptoms Researchers found that symptoms of long COVID in young children differ significantly from those seen in older children and adults. The research mentioned that symptoms may go unnoticed in children younger than 2 years. Hence, parents and caregivers must observe fussiness, trouble sleeping, poor appetite, stuffy nose, and cough in infants and toddlers. For children aged 3 to 5, a dry cough along with daytime fatigue or low energy can be the symptoms to be observed. 'This study is important because it shows that long COVID symptoms in young children are different from those in older children and adults," said Dr Tanayott (Tony) Thaweethai, co-first author of the study and associate director of Biostatistics Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. The study also noted that children exhibiting these symptoms often had worsened overall health, reduced quality of life, and delays in development. Females, individuals who have had severe COVID-19, those who had multisystem inflammatory disorder (MIS-C) during or after having COVID, and individuals with pre-existing conditions like lung disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are more likely to experience long-term effects. Unvaccinated individuals will also be prone to developing long COVID. Parents and carers are advised not to dismiss any signs. If your child seems off, it's essential to have a word with your paediatrician. First Published: June 03, 2025, 10:22 IST
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Coronavirus Symptoms: Covid sees high number of cases in India: Signs and symptoms of long COVID in children
One of the biggest repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic is long COVID, a condition where symptoms persist long after the initial infection has passed. What made long COVID especially tough for those who have it is that many of the health concerns weren't taken seriously. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Researchers have been studying long COVID ever since, and have now listed down the key symptoms, especially in young children. Long COVID can affect people of every age, including children. However, the lasting symptoms differ based on their age: an infant, toddler, or pre-school-aged child, or older children. Researchers at Mass General Brigham have identified the key symptoms of long COVID in young children. The research is published in . What is long COVID As per the Center for Disease Control (CDC), long COVID is a chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months. Those with long COVID exhibit a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing. Individuals who have had severe COVID-19 have a higher chance of having long COVID. Symptoms in infants and toddlers In children younger than 2 years old, symptoms of long COVID can be difficult to detect, especially as they are unable to talk discomfort. According to the study, caregivers reported the following common symptoms: Trouble sleeping Fussiness Poor appetite Stuffy nose Cough Symptoms in pre-school-aged children The researchers observed that, for children aged 3 to 5, the symptoms were somewhat different. The common symptoms were: Dry cough Daytime tiredness or low energy What do the experts think 'This study is important because it shows that long COVID symptoms in young children are different from those in older children and adults,' co-first author Tanayott (Tony) Thaweethai, PhD, associate director of Biostatistics Research and Engagement at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School said in a release. 'Children with these symptoms often had worse overall health, lower quality of life, and delays in development.' In the new study, the researchers focused on the long symptoms in infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. They evaluated 472 infants/toddlers and 539 preschool-aged children. Participants were enrolled between March 2022 and July 2024 from more than 30 health care and community settings across the US. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The group included children who had tested positive for COVID-19 and those who had never been infected. The scientists then observed the symptoms lasting at least 90 days after COVID infection as reported by the caregivers. They also compared children who had not been previously infected to those with a history of COVID to see which symptoms persisted. In the children who had been previously infected, 40 of 278 infants/toddlers (14%) and 61 of 399 preschool-aged children (15%) were classified as likely having long COVID. 'Died Within 8 Hrs Of Taking Pfizer Vaccine': Chilling Covid Testimony By Dr McCullough 'We found a distinguishable pattern for both age groups of young children, including symptoms that are different than what we see in older children and adults. The tools from this study can be used in future studies to better understand long COVID in young children and develop ways to care for them,' co-senior author Andrea Foulkes, ScD, director of Biostatistics at MGH, professor in the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said.
