“Is covid really that dangerous for children under 12?”
My 11 year old son is worried about getting covid. Is covid really that dangerous for children under 12?
3 Answers
Very low risk group !
For most children, the disease itself isn’t too bad; kind of like a really bad cold for some, like a normal cold for others, and even perhaps not as bad as a typical common cold for others. However, there are two problems that can be seen; one of them is fairly common in adults and the other one is almost unheard of.
The first problem is what has been termed “long Covid.” Although it is true that this is much more commonly seen in adults, it has certainly been reported in children. In “long Covid” patients remain ill for a long period of time, sometimes months on end. Acute respiratory symptoms generally get better after a couple of weeks, but tiredness, lack of energy, brain fog, muscle aches, and chest pains, as well as loss of the sense of taste and smell can sometimes go on seemingly indefinitely.
The second problem is a problem that has been termed “MIS-C,” which stands for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children. This is a condition that occurs a few weeks after uncomplicated Covid. It is marked by high fever and a host of other symptoms that look a lot like Kawasaki Disease; namely, conjunctivitis, redness of the oral mucosa, peeling of the lips, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, etc. Inflammatory markers are really high, including BNP, which is an enzyme that is usually elevated in heart conditions. MIS-C can be serious. At our hospital, we have had about 25 patients admitted with MIS-C since the pandemic began, and about half of them have been sick enough to be in our Intensive Care unit.
Obviously, both of these are uncommon or rare outcomes. So the answer to your question is that the vast majority of the time, children under the age of 12 do very well with Covid and get better rather quickly, with no apparent long-term adverse consequences. But occasionally, there are significant problems.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
The first problem is what has been termed “long Covid.” Although it is true that this is much more commonly seen in adults, it has certainly been reported in children. In “long Covid” patients remain ill for a long period of time, sometimes months on end. Acute respiratory symptoms generally get better after a couple of weeks, but tiredness, lack of energy, brain fog, muscle aches, and chest pains, as well as loss of the sense of taste and smell can sometimes go on seemingly indefinitely.
The second problem is a problem that has been termed “MIS-C,” which stands for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children. This is a condition that occurs a few weeks after uncomplicated Covid. It is marked by high fever and a host of other symptoms that look a lot like Kawasaki Disease; namely, conjunctivitis, redness of the oral mucosa, peeling of the lips, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, etc. Inflammatory markers are really high, including BNP, which is an enzyme that is usually elevated in heart conditions. MIS-C can be serious. At our hospital, we have had about 25 patients admitted with MIS-C since the pandemic began, and about half of them have been sick enough to be in our Intensive Care unit.
Obviously, both of these are uncommon or rare outcomes. So the answer to your question is that the vast majority of the time, children under the age of 12 do very well with Covid and get better rather quickly, with no apparent long-term adverse consequences. But occasionally, there are significant problems.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
In most kids, COVID-19 is not a horrible disease, so overall, the risk is pretty small. HOWEVER, for the uncommon kid who gets Multi Inflammatory System - Children (MIS-C), it's a really nasty disease. Worse yet, we don't know what the long-term effects may be over the next years. Bottom line -- get the adolescents and adults in your household vaccinated and protect your younger kids with masks, hand washing, etc.
