Evaluation of Clinical Presentations of Covid -19 in Pediatric Patients in the Child Central Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus belongs to a family of viruses that may cause various symptoms such as pneumonia, fever and breathing difficulty. These viruses are common in animals worldwide, but very few cases have been known to affect humans.

AIM of the study: To increase the awareness of different patterns of symptoms and signs of covid -19 in children.

Methods: this is prospective study of patients those admitted to the child central teaching hospital and confirmed covid 19 infection by real time polymerase chain reaction from twentieth of march 2020 to the first of April 2021. patients sex, age, symptoms, signs, duration of the symptoms before the admission to the hospital crowdedness, their status of vaccination in particular BCG vaccine, Investigations (white cell count, chest Xray) and the fate of those patients. Patients with chronic diseases also included. The study group had a postive contact with confirmed covid-19 relatives that either living with them or had visited them.

Results: one handered twenty patients with confirmed covid-19 infection admitted to (central teaching hospital for pediatrics) during the study period, noticed that there was 58 male (48%) and 62 females (52%), patients had different age groups, most affected age group was 1-5 years 34 patient (28%) and 5-10 years (28%) also. The most common signs and symptoms were fever 78 patient (65%), malaise 50 patient (41%), Cough 45 patient (37%), dyspnea 37 patient (30%) and frequent bowel motion 38 patient (31%). Sign and symptom found to be significantly related to either death or admission to the respiratory care unit like cyanosis (4.2% p-value 0.0001), Fever (65% p-value 0.03), disturbed level of consciousness (2.5% p-value 0.035), frequent bowel motion (31.7% p-value 0.045). Ten patients (8%) needed respiratory support, About two third of patient (62%) lives in a crowded environment and (62.5%) reported that they had contacts with confirmed COVID 19 infected patients. Twenty nine patient (24.2%) those with COVID-19 virus infection had comorbid conditions. The result of chest Xray of 63 patient (52.2%) with ground glass appearance, Consolidation was found to be the most related chest x-ray finding related to death and respiratory care unit admission about (14.2% p-value 0.0001). There were two peaks of signs and symptoms like (fever, malaise and vomiting) during the summer months especially August followed by a higher peak in the winter months especially January. Frequent bowel motion peak was in the winter months especially January and February.

Conclusion: The infection had two peaks during the year. Females slightly more than males. Fever, malaise, cough, shortness of breath and frequent bowel motion were the prevalent symptoms. duration of the occurance of the signs and the symptoms mainly 3 days. About two thirds live in crowded areas and with contact to infected patient. The children have mild symptoms with highly recovery rate. Only minority of patients was admitted to respiratory care unit for ventilatory support.