September 30, 2020
In the early days of the pandemic, one “small mercy,” as many reporters phrased it, was that children seemed to be spared from the horrible COVID-19 symptoms that adults suffer and die from. It was unclear if they even could get sick from the virus or pass it to others. It has been six months since those early reports, however, and while much is still unknown about the virus, a few things are now clear: children are not immune, they can transmit the virus, and a small percentage are at risk for a mystery illness doctors are calling Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C, which is related to the virus.
Children contracting and transmitting the coronavirus has been a social flashpoint. With many of the country’s school districts moving to online instruction and the child care system in partial collapse, some parents and politicians have questioned whether the measures to prevent children from contracting the virus has done more harm than good. Just recently President Donald Trump fervently claimed that children are “virtually immune,” which prompted several public health officials to confirm that children can contract the virus and spread it.
While most children do show milder symptoms if they contract the virus, a very small percentage of those who test positive show a constellation of serious symptoms including inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys and more. The first warnings about the illness now referred to as MIS-C came in April from the Britain’s Paediatric Intensive Care Society. “It is a priority to recognize these (symptoms) to urgently refer these patients to a hospital,” the pediatric association said. Some doctors thought it was related to Kawasaki’s disease, which causes inflammation in blood vessels and mostly impacts children under 5, but have not proven a link. Now, although still a small number, several more children have come down with MIS-C, including 38 in L.A. County, and doctors are trying to find solutions.
How the virus impacts children who do not develop MIS-C is still an evolving story. In the last two months, the U.S. has seen a spike in the number of children contracting the virus. In California, cases among children and teens were up 150% in August — a figure that is likely even larger as tests for children are more difficult to access. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control released a report showing that children can be severely impacted by the virus, with one in three hospitalized getting admitted to an intensive care unit. Also, the children developing more severe symptoms were disproportionately Latino and Black, which many health officials attribute to social determinants such as structural racism limiting access to resources, densely crowded living conditions, and high numbers of essential workers in communities of color.
As the data indicate an increase in children’s cases overall, some research shows that preschoolers seem to be the least affected age group. “Recent studies from the U.S., U.K., Singapore and Australia, among others, suggest they are far less likely to contract and spread the illness than older children and dramatically less likely to get sick from it than children even slightly older or younger,” reports The Los Angeles Times. “Nationally, just 8.7% of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. were 2 to 4 years old.”
Still another twist is that those preschoolers, while they may not get sick with the virus, can still carry more of the virus in their respiratory system than a sick adult, found one study. The viral load suggested that they should be super spreaders, as they are with the flu or cold, and yet, the data does not show that. In a piece for The New York Times, pediatrician Dr. Naomi Bardach says, “That’s just not how Covid-19 works.” And in late August, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged that children do play a role in transmission, but are not a “main contributor.” Still, cases have been found where children contract the virus at child care or camp, and spread it to their family members.
There are still many questions about how the virus impacts children, and how they pass it to adults, but as more data comes in, scientists are getting a better picture. To help our readers follow the complex information about how the coronavirus impacts children, we have compiled a library of article links, organized by category, to offer a snapshot of what has been discovered in the last six months. We hope you find this useful in your decision-making.
- Coronavirus Transmission in Children
- Coronavirus Infection and Symptoms in Children
- Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
- What We’re Learning and What We Know
- Drop in Regularly Scheduled Vaccinations and Other Concerns
- Health Disparities in Children
Coronavirus Transmission in Children
Bloomberg: Children Don’t Pass Covid-19 to Adults, Report Indicates
Children contract the coronavirus less often and with less severity than the general population, and there’s limited evidence so far that children pass the disease to others in significant numbers, according to a new report. (Davis, 4/30/20)
Science Magazine: Should schools reopen? Kids’ role in pandemic still a mystery
For families eager for schools to throw open their doors, the tale of a 9-year-old British boy who caught COVID-19 in the French Alps in January offers a glimmer of hope. (Vogel & Couzin-Frankel, 5/5/20)
The New York Times: New Studies Add to Evidence that Children May Transmit the Coronavirus
Experts said the new data suggest that cases could soar in many U.S. communities if schools reopen soon. (Mandavilli, 5/5/20)
The New York Times: New Studies Add to Evidence that Children May Transmit the Coronavirus
Experts said the new data suggest that cases could soar in many U.S. communities if schools reopen soon. (Mandavilli, 5/5/20)
Business Insider: Children can spread the coronavirus like anyone else — but there’s still a lot to learn about how infectious they are
There has been much confusion and debate about the coronavirus’ impact on children and their role as potential carriers — in large part due to a lack of data. (Bendix, 5/17/20)
CNBC: CDC director says there’s no data children drive coronavirus spread — but the U.S. isn’t testing many kids
“We really don’t have evidence that children are driving the transmission cycle of this,” Redfield said at a White House Task Force briefing to address school reopenings. (Feuer, 7/8/20)
USA Today: Can kids spread the coronavirus? ‘Conclusively, without a doubt – yes,’ experts say
As school districts around the country begin to reveal reopening guidelines for when students return to classrooms in the fall, many parents are concerned about how the coronavirus could impact their children. (Rodriguez, 7/17/20)
The New York Times: Children May Carry Coronavirus at High Levels, Study Finds
The research does not prove that infected children are contagious, but it should influence the debate about reopening schools, some experts said. (Mandavilli, 7/30/20)
MSNBC: Doctor: Studies suggest children can transmit coronavirus
Dr. Taylor Heald-Sargent, a pediatric infectious disease expert, joins Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss her study, which found that “children younger than age 5 may host up to 100 times as much of the virus in the upper respiratory tract as adults.” (7/31/20)
Also featured in NBC Chicago (7/31/20), MarketWatch (8/1/20), The Washington Post (8/2/20), Science Alert (7/31/20), The New York Times (7/30/20)
USA Today: Kids less likely to die from coronavirus, but schools could become hot spots for spread
As many school districts across the USA prepare to reopen campuses, some fear classrooms will become the next incubators for large coronavirus outbreaks. (Fraser & Keemahill, 8/5/20)
The New York Times: Kids Aren’t Viral Vectors. Really.
We’re so used to thinking of snotty-nosed kids as germ propagators. But that’s just not how Covid-19 works. (Bardach, 8/12/20)
Forbes: A New Study Shows Children Are Silent Spreaders Of Covid-19
New research shows that children may play a larger role in the community spread of Covid-19 than previously thought. (Gajewski, 8/20/20)
The Washington Post: Evidence grows that children may play a larger role in transmission than previously believed
Latest study is small but shows that kids’ rates of infection and viral loads may make them silent spreaders. (Cha, 8/20/20)
Spectrum 1: Study Finds Children Considered to be “Silent Spreaders” of COVID-19
In a study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Hospital for Children, researchers tested data on nearly 200 kids for the novel coronavirus and discovered that this age group may play a more significant role in the spread than was earlier thought. (8/21/20)
Reuters: Limited transmission of COVID-19 found in U.S. childcare study, CDC says
Transmission of COVID-19 from children or adults to other people in Rhode Island childcare programs occurred on only a limited basis, a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Friday. (8/21/20)
CNBC: WHO says children do play a role in coronavirus spread, but schools are not a ‘main contributor’
During a press briefing on Thursday, Hans Kluge, regional director for Europe at the WHO said that, so far, school settings had not been a “main contributor” to the pandemic. (Meredith, 8/27/20)
Newsweek: 8-Month-Old Among Kids Who Caught COVID-19 at Childcare Facilities And Spread It to Relatives, Study Shows
Children who contracted coronavirus at day care facilities and day camps spread it to their relatives, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Rahman, 9/12/20)
Also featured The Washington Post (9/12/20), CNBC (9/11/20), Forbes (Walsh, 9/11/20), CBS Sacramento (9/12/20)
The Washington Post: Is the coronavirus spreading silently among kids? Testing limits make it hard to tell.
It is a nightmare repeatedly playing in parents’ minds: Their child is welcomed back to their classroom, but in the excitement the kids get too close to one another, sharing germs. (Kornfield, 9/17/20)
WTOP: Does the coronavirus spread easily among children?
It appears the virus can spread among children and teens, but how easily may vary by age. Research is still underway, but children under age 10 seem to be less likely than older kids to transmit the virus to other children and adults. (AP, 9/22/20)
Coronavirus Infection and Symptoms in Children
The New York Times: U.S. Children With Coronavirus Are Less Hard Hit Than Adults, First Data Shows
Nevertheless, a C.D.C. analysis of 2,572 cases found three deaths. Babies seem more vulnerable, but the data was incomplete. (Belluck, 4/6/20)
Also featured in Business Insider (McFall-Johnsen, 4/7/20), American Academy of Pediatrics (Korioth, 4/6/20), U.S. News & World Report (Galvin, 4/6/20), The Washington Post (Shammas, 4/6/20)
Fast Company: How safe are children from COVID-19? Many kids get critically ill, say researchers
Both media and medical reports have focused on child death rates, which are low, but not rates of seriously ill children, which have been underemphasized in the media. (Cohen, 4/20/20)
NPR: COVID-19 In Children: How They Contract Infection And What Are The Symptoms
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly talks with Dr. Roberta DeBiasi, chief of the infectious diseases department at Children’s National Hospital, about the COVID-19 cases among children. (4/29/20)
The New York Times: Children Gravely Ill with Covid Often Had Other Medical Conditions
A study of 48 young I.C.U. patients in U.S. hospitals found that two died. Eighteen of the children were put on ventilators. (Belluck, 5/11/20)
The New York Times: Rethinking Covid-19 in Children
There is new evidence that some children may become very sick, and we are beginning to learn more about who may be most at risk and what parents need to watch for. (Klass, 5/12/20)
The Hill: Study details severe coronavirus cases in children
A study published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics followed 48 individuals admitted to pediatric intensive care units, ranging from infants to 21-year-olds. (Guzman, 5/12/20)
Medical Xpress: Coronavirus infection in children—it may not start with a cough
Children suffering from sickness and diarrhea, coupled with a fever or history of exposure to coronavirus, should be suspected of being infected with COVID-19, recommends a new study published in Frontiers in Pediatrics. (5/12/20)
National Institutes for Health: Study to determine incidence of novel coronavirus infection in U.S. children begins
NIH-funded study also will ascertain percentage of infected children who develop COVID-19. (5/4/20)
Forbes: A Key Protein That Leads To Covid-19 Infection May Be Less Common In Children, Researchers Find
The SARS-CoV-2 virus typically enters the body by attaching itself to a structure on the surface of our nasal membranes. This is the protein ACE2. (Haseltine, 5/27/20)
WAMU: Hundreds Of Positive COVID-19 Cases At D.C.’s Children’s National Hospital
A visit to the Children’s National Hospital in the Washington, D.C. shows how doctors are trying to keep up with testing demands for children affected by COVID-19. (6/7/20)
National Institutes of Health: NIH-funded study to evaluate drugs prescribed to children with COVID-19
Researchers will assess dosage, metabolism and other properties not yet determined in children. (6/10/20)
The Washington Post: Children are only half as likely to get infected with the coronavirus, study finds
Children and teenagers are only half as likely to get infected with the coronavirus as adults age 20 and older, and they usually don’t develop clinical symptoms of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, according to a study published Tuesday. (Achenbach and Meckler, 6/16/20)
The Los Angeles Times: Mysterious deaths of infants and others raise questions about how early coronavirus hit California
A cluster of mysterious deaths, some involving infants and children, is under scrutiny amid questions of whether the novel coronavirus lurked in California months before it was first detected. (John & Choi, 6/21/20)
The Hill: Almost one-third of Florida children tested are positive for the coronavirus
The state’s outbreak continues to surge as new data reveal children may be more impacted than previously thought. (Kelley, 7/15/20)
NPR: What Accounts For High Coronavirus Positivity Rates Among Florida Kids?
Amid all the COVID-19 figures released by Florida’s Department of Health, one number might come as a head-scratcher: A whopping 31.1% coronavirus positivity rate among those under 18 who are tested for the virus, according to the state’s most recent pediatric report. (Wamsley, 7/18/20)
The Washington Post: Most young virus cases in Texas county diagnosed this month
Most of the 85 young children in a South Texas county who are known to have contracted the coronavirus tested positive this month amid a surge in the state, a health official said Sunday. (Lozano, 7/19/20)
The Washington Post: California officials report first virus death of a child
California health officials reported the state’s first coronavirus death of a child on Friday as the statewide tally of fatalities surpassed 9,000, saying the victim was a teenager who had other health conditions. (Ronayne, 7/31/20)
U.S. News & World Report: CDC: Children Can Develop Severe Cases of the Coronavirus
The new report from the CDC that details coronavirus cases in hospitalized children comes as President Donald Trump downplays the risk of severe infection in kids. (Smith-Schoenwalder, 8/7/20)
Bloomberg: Covid-19 Cases Among U.S. Children Jumped 40% in Late July
Coronavirus infections among U.S. children grew 40% in the last half of July, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, bringing the total number of child infections to 8.8% of all U.S. cases. (Sutherland, 8/9/20)
Also featured in The New York Times (8/9/20), Axios (Falconer, 8/9/20), The Washington Post (Janes, 8/9/20)
The Los Angeles Times: Study shows COVID-19 cases surging among California children and teens
Coronavirus cases among children and teenagers are surging in California, up 150% last month, a rate that outpaces COVID-19 cases overall and establishes minors as a small but growing share of the state’s COVID-19 cases. (Nelson, 8/10/20)
The Mercury News: Coronavirus infections in kids: California sees alarming surge in cases in late July
National report also finds spike in cases just before school year. (Woolfolk, 8/10/20)
NBC News: Why are COVID-19 cases in kids rising? It’s mostly the adults around them
The pediatric cases are a direct reflection of what’s happening in their surrounding communities, experts said. (Edward, 8/12/20)
The Washington Post: Coronavirus infections are rising in children, CDC says
The number and rate of coronavirus cases in children have risen since the pandemic took hold in the spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in recently updated guidance, underscoring the risk for young people and their families as the school year begins. (Hawkins & Iati, 8/16/20)
Medical Xpress: COVID-19 in babies and children
But most kids who are infected typically don’t become as sick as adults and some might not show any symptoms at all. (8/20/20)
The Los Angeles Daily News: LA County reports 46 more coronavirus deaths, health impacts to children are rising
Another 46 Los Angeles County residents have died from coronavirus-related causes, officials announced Friday, Aug. 21, bringing the death toll to 5,491. (Munguia, 8/22/20)
The Los Angeles Times: Preschoolers are mask-licking germ bombs — yet few catch the coronavirus, data show
The infection starts with a sniffle. Next comes a barking cough. Soon, there’s a fever, maybe vomiting and diarrhea, possibly an ear infection or tonsillitis or pink eye. These are common symptoms in preschool, where viral outbreaks are as ubiquitous as finger paints and apple juice. (Sharp, 8/28/20)
My News LA: LA County Health Officials Again Warn Of Virus Danger To Children
Los Angeles County health officials are warning that the coronavirus can infect children as easily as it can adults, while also reporting three additional local cases of a pediatric inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19 infections. (8/29/20)
Also featured in Spectrum 1 News (8/28/20)
The New York Times: U.S. Coronavirus Rates Are Rising Fast Among Children
As some schools begin in-person classes, data compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics from the summer show that cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus have increased at a faster rate in children and teenagers than among the general public. (Leatherby & Jones, 8/31/20)
The Hill: Teen and children hospitalizations, deaths from coronavirus increasing: report
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths of children and teens are on the rise, according to data compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (Budryk, 8/31/20
U.S. News & World Report: Report: Coronavirus Cases Rising in Children
Kids account for 9.5% of the total COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S., according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. (Smith-Schoenwalder, 9/2/20)
The New York Times: It’s Not Easy to Get a Coronavirus Test for a Child
As child care centers and schools reopen, parents are encountering another coronavirus testing bottleneck: Few sites will test children. (Kliff and Sanger-Katz, 9/8/20)
NBC News: More than half a million children in the U.S. have had COVID-19
The new data are a “chilling reminder” to take the coronavirus seriously, one expert said. (Edwards, 9/8/20)
Axios: Over 513,000 U.S. teens, children have been diagnosed with COVID-19
513,415 children and teens in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus from the time the pandemic arrived in the country through Sept. 3, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association. (Knutson, 9/9/20)
The New York Times: A Kids’ Vaccine Isn’t Coming Anytime Soon
There are currently no trials underway, making a vaccine unlikely before fall of 2021. And students are missing online school at alarming rates. (Nierenberg & Blum, 9/23/20)
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
AP: European Doctors Warn Rare Kids’ Syndrome May Have Virus Tie
Doctors in Britain, Italy, and Spain have been warned to look out for a rare inflammatory condition in children that is possibly linked to the new coronavirus. (AP, 4/28/20)
Reuters: COVID-19 complication seen in children is ‘rare’, WHO says
The “vast majority” of children with COVID-19 have mild cases and recover completely, but a small number in a few countries have developed a rare inflammatory syndrome, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. (Nebehay & Farge, 4/29/20)
The New York Times: 15 Children Are Hospitalized With Mysterious Illness Possibly Tied to Covid-19
The health authorities in New York City issued an alert saying that the children had a syndrome that doctors do not yet fully understand. (Goldstein, 5/5/20)
The New York Times: Children Are Falling Ill With a Baffling Ailment Related to Covid-19
No children are known to have died so far, but several have ended up in intensive care with mysterious symptoms that include enlarged coronary arteries. (Goldstein & Belluck, 5/5/20)
CNBC: Dr. Scott Gottlieb says rare, ‘unusual phenomena’ affecting kids may be linked to coronavirus
“I think the incremental information that we’re learning leads us to believe that this is a much more fearsome virus than we perceived perhaps at various points,” he said. (Stankiewicz, 5/5/20)
The New York Times: A New Coronavirus Threat to Children
Here’s what we know about the mysterious and frightening ailment that doctors are seeing in a small but growing number of very young Covid-19 patients. (Belluck, 5/6/20)
WTOP: More kids hospitalized with possible COVID-19 complication
Officials said on Wednesday that the number of children who have been hospitalized in New York City with symptoms consistent with a rare disease possibly linked to the coronavirus has nearly quadrupled to 64. (5/7/20)
Axios: Doctors face new urgency to solve children and coronavirus puzzle
Solving the mystery of how the coronavirus impacts children has gained sudden steam, as doctors try to determine if there’s a link between COVID-19 and kids with a severe inflammatory illness, and researchers try to pin down their contagiousness before schools reopen. (Rummler, 5/10/20)
The San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area baby’s case may be first that links COVID-19 to Kawasaki disease
Dr. Veena Jones was on her morning commute from her home in Menlo Park to her office at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto when she learned of lab test results that might have caused her to swerve off on El Camino Real if she hadn’t already been driving cautiously in the slow lane. (Whiting, 5/10/20)
U.S. News & World Report: 100 Kids Diagnosed With Coronavirus-Related Illness, 3 Die in New York
Cuomo reported on Tuesday that approximately 100 children from infancy to 21 years old are being evaluated for a COVID-related inflammatory disease. (Lardieri, 5/12/20)
CBS News: Gottlieb alarmed by “deeply concerning” mysterious illness among children
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the Food and Drug Administration, called recent reports of a mysterious illness appearing in children that may be associated with the coronavirus “deeply concerning.” (Quinn, 5/17/20)
The New York Times: After 3 Children Die, a Race to Investigate a Baffling Virus Syndrome
At least 161 children in New York have gotten sick, making the state’s caseload one of the largest publicly reported anywhere. (Goldstein & McKinley, 5/22/20)
The San Francisco Chronicle: Kids and coronavirus: What you need to know about worrisome inflammatory syndrome
Kids are far less likely to get COVID-19 than are adults, studies from the U.S. and China have shown. (Moench, 5/24/20)
The Washington Post: Children with perplexing syndrome linked to covid-19 may be experiencing deadly ‘cytokine storm’
New York physicians propose early theory, detailing four case studies that were remarkably similar. (Cha, 5/28/20)
Forbes: Covid-19 In Children: A Detailed Study Of 10 Italian Children
The current issue of the Lancet carries a study of 10 Italian children diagnosed with a Kawasaki-like syndrome, recently reclassified by the World Health Organization as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome—Children (MIS-C). (Haseltine, 6/1/20)
Forbes: Why The Covid-19 Pandemic Still Poses Significant Risks For Children
One of the most hopeful aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been that children have mostly been spared the most serious outcomes of the disease. In terms of hospitalized cases and deaths, children and teenagers under 20 years-old represent fewer than 2% of cases. (Bloom, 6/1/20)
CALMatters: COVID and kids: A new inflammatory syndrome poses safety challenge for schools, day care
A rare but serious syndrome linked to coronavirus is striking California children, with cases rising across the country. The discovery comes as the state grapples with how kids can safely return to group settings. (Aguilera, 6/3/20)
The Mercury News: Coronavirus: Are kids as safe as we thought?
Worry over perplexing new syndrome as schools plan reopening. (Lee & Krieger, 6/6/20)
WAMU: Doctors Race For Answers As Kids Fight Rare Inflammatory Syndrome Tied To Coronavirus
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, young children have been the least likely of all age groups to become seriously ill with the virus, though they can still become infected and spread it. (Breslow & Garcia-Navarro, 6/7/20)
U.S. News & World Report: WHO Releases Brief on Rare Illness in Children Possibly Linked to the Coronavirus
The organization’s scientific brief comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned about the rare illness earlier this week. (Smith-Schoenwalder, 5/16/20)
The New York Times: Caring for Children With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
Now, nearly two months after the first cases were reported, doctors can reassure parents that the syndrome remains rare, while continuing to urge vigilance. (Klass, 6/29/20)
The Washington Post: Serious coronavirus-linked condition hit 285 US children
At least 285 U.S. children have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus and while most recovered, the potential for long-term or permanent damage is unknown, two new studies suggest. (Tanner, 6/29/20)
WBUR: Research Offers New Insights Into Mysterious, Rare COVID-Related Inflammatory Illness In Children
Two new studies released this week shed some light on how a rare but potentially deadly syndrome affects children exposed to COVID-19. (Becker, 6/30/20)
CNBC: Researchers find neurological damage in four children with coronavirus inflammatory syndrome
Researchers examined 27 children with Covid-19 PMIS, who were previously healthy, between March 1 and May 8 at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, England. (Kim, 7/3/20)
The Atlantic: Listen: How the Coronavirus Affects Kids
The latest on a mysterious syndrome hitting kids—and what it means for schools. (7/6/20)
NPR: Doctors Continue Research Into Rare Inflammatory Syndrome In Children With COVID-19
A tiny subset of children exposed to the coronavirus have later developed a strange new inflammatory syndrome. Most fully recover, yet doctors still want to track them for long-term health problems. (Mogul, 7/10/20)
NPR: Why Doctors Keep Monitoring Children Who Recover From Mysterious COVID-Linked Illness
Israel Shippy doesn’t remember much about having COVID-19 – or the unusual auto-immune disease it triggered – other than being groggy and uncomfortable for a bunch of days. He’s a five-year-old, and would much rather talk about cartoons, or the ideas for inventions that constantly pop into his head. (Mogul, 7/15/20)
KTLA: 15 L.A. County children sickened by rare coronavirus-related inflammatory syndrome
A rare but serious and potentially deadly inflammatory syndrome believed to be associated with the coronavirus has now been identified in 15 children in Los Angeles County, officials said. (7/19/20)
INSIDER: Some children have developed rare brain damage from the coronavirus, according to a small study
A study of children with severe cases of COVID-19 found that some developed new neurological symptoms like muscle weakness, slowed reflexes and evidence of brain damage after infection. (Landsverk, 8/5/20)
Reuters: Rare syndrome linked to COVID-19 found in nearly 600 U.S. children: CDC
The new report from the CDC that details coronavirus cases in hospitalized children comes as President Donald Trump downplays the risk of severe infection in kids. (8/7/20)
WIRED: New Data on How Many Kids Got That Covid Mystery Illness
A few young patients also develop strange inflammatory symptoms. A CDC report sheds light on how widespread this syndrome is, and what it could mean for vaccines. (McKenna, 8/19/20)
The New York Times: Severe or Fatal COVID-19 Very Rare in Children, Study Finds
Children and young people are far less likely than adults to get severe cases of COVID-19 infection, and death from the pandemic disease among children is exceptionally rare, according to UK research published on Thursday. (8/27/20)
Scientific American: Doctors Chase Treatment for Kids Threatened by Dangerous COVID-19 Syndrome
Physicians are comparing ad hoc solutions for reducing massive inflammation that can cripple organs. (Lloyd, 9/1/20)
Science Alert: Mysterious Post-COVID Syndrome Affecting Kids Appears to Be Even Worse Than We Thought
After contracting and beating a coronavirus infection, a body needs time to rest, to recover its health and strength. Sadly, for some children, that isn’t what happens next. (Dockrill, 9/7/20)
KTLA: 3 more children in L.A. County diagnosed with rare inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19
Three more children have been diagnosed with the rare and potentially deadly multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, in Los Angeles County, health officials reported Friday. (Habeshian, 9/4/20)
Also featured in CBS Los Angeles (9/4/20)
NBC Los Angeles: LA County Reports Three More Cases of COVID-19 Related Syndrome in Children
The pediatric malady, known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, has now affected a total of 34 youth in the county. No deaths have been reported. (9/11/20)
Also featured in Spectrum 1 News (9/11/20), CBS Local (9/11/20)
What We’re Learning and What We Know
Center for Health Journalism: What we’re learning about how COVID-19 is impacting children
Children and teens seem to be the only bright spot in the COVID-19 pandemic. The first large analysis of pediatric cases in the U.S., released Monday by the CDC, found that children are less likely than adults to become severely ill or wind up in the hospital. (Smith, 4/7/20)
Business Insider: The coronavirus’ effect on kids remains an unsolved mystery. Here are the clues so far.
Children are more likely to develop mild or asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus than adults. (Bendix, 5/24/20)
The Washington Post: How does COVID-19 affect kids? Science has answers and gaps
What role children play in the coronavirus pandemic is the hot-button question of the summer as kids relish their free time while schools labor over how to resume classes. (Tanner, 7/17/20)
The New York Times: What Is It That Keeps Most Little Kids From Getting Covid-19?
Young children have consistently been slow to catch and spread Covid-19. Experts have a few hunches why. (Lloyd, 7/20/20)
WebMD: What We Know About COVID-19 and Kids
Since the beginning of the pandemic, parents have been reassured that if their children do get COVID-19, they’re unlikely to get really sick. (Koenig, 7/22/20)
The Washington Post: Here’s What We Know About Kids and Covid-19
Children typically are “superspreaders” of respiratory germs, which makes the fact that they don’t seem to be major transmitters of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 puzzling. (Gale, 8/10/20)
The Washington Post: Here’s What We Know About Kids and Covid-19
Children typically are “superspreaders” of respiratory germs, which makes the fact that they don’t seem to be major transmitters of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 puzzling. (Gale, 9/4/20)
NBC News: This is what actual science says about kids and COVID-19
As schools begin their fall curriculum (either via distance learning, in-person or a combination of both), NBC News’ health editor, Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, looks at the latest studies regarding children and coronavirus. (Fernstrom, 9/4/20)
Drop in Regularly Scheduled Vaccinations and Other Concerns
The New York Times: Millions of Children Are at Risk for Measles as Coronavirus Fears Halt Vaccines
U.N. and global health experts warned that poor countries around the world were having to stop mass immunization programs to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19. (Hoffman, 4/13/20)
The Hill: More than 100 million children could miss measles vaccines due to coronavirus
Lockdowns meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 are postponing measles immunization campaigns in 24 countries around the world. (Guzman, 4/14/20)
LAist: Call The Doctor If Your Kid Feels Sick, But Go In For Vaccinations
L.A. County’s health clinics have remade themselves in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, including those that treat kids. (Dale, 4/17/20)
CNN: Delays in vaccinations, delays in care: How fear of Covid-19 is affecting children’s health
The virus that causes Covid-19 has been relentlessly preying on adults around the world for months, while largely sparing children. Although children are not directly impacted by the illness, their health is undoubtedly being affected by our collective new reality. (Bracho-Sanchez, 4/18/20)
The New York Times: What’s Scaring the Pediatricians
Children are not the focus of the pandemic. But pediatricians are worried for children and families, for now and for the future. (Klass, 5/5/20)
Modesto Bee: ‘Immunization rates are plummeting’ due to fear of coronavirus at doctors’ offices
Many parents are afraid of getting COVID-19 at doctors’ offices and their children are missing checkups and routine vaccinations. Immunization rates are free-falling in California, nationally and globally, fueling fear of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. (Mink, 5/11/20)
The Washington Post: A pediatrician’s advice on kids’ doctor visits, vaccines, mental health and more amid the pandemic
As a mom of three, I understand that parents are worried about taking their kids anywhere right now, especially to a doctor’s office where they anticipate potentially coming into contact with covid-19. (Altmann, 5/12/20)
LAist: If LA’s Kids Keep Skipping Routine Vaccinations, We Might Have More Than A COVID-19 Outbreak To Worry About
Fewer Los Angeles kids have been vaccinated against diseases like measles and whooping cough since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. (Dale, 5/12/20)
Huffington Post: What Parents Need To Know About Well-Child Visits During Coronavirus
It’s understandable to be nervous, but please don’t skip your kids’ checkups during COVID-19. (Pearson, 5/13/20)
CNBC: CDC warns of possible measles outbreak as vaccinations for children fall during coronavirus pandemic
Routine vaccinations for young children in the U.S. fell during the first half of this year as more Americans skipped routine doctor visits due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Lovelace, 5/18/20)
The New York Times: What We Know About the Covid-Related Syndrome Affecting Children
The new inflammatory disease is scary but thankfully rare and easy to spot. (Moyer, 5/19/20)
The San Francisco Chronicle: Child vaccinations drop more than 40% in California, thanks to coronavirus fears
The number of vaccinations for kids in California dropped nearly in half this April compared to last April, following a worrying national trend as parents avoid doctors’ offices during the coronavirus pandemic, public health numbers show. (Moench, 5/20/20)
CALMatters: When California reopens schools, steep drop in vaccinations could endanger children
With measles vaccinations declining 74%, a new law that is not yet enforced and a history of preventable outbreaks, doctors warn that the coronavirus is not the only health risk in schools. (Sohn, 6/1/20)
Axios: Pediatricians are waiting for the kids to come back
The coronavirus outbreak has created a frightening, cash-strapped couple of months for pediatricians, as parents deferred vaccines and care for their kids. (Herman, 6/20/20)
CBS SF Bay Area: The Dangers Of Skipping Routine Vaccinations During COVID-19
Across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a decline in vaccination rates as some families are choosing to forgo or delay their children’s routine pediatric well-visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. (7/7/20)
MarketWatch: ‘We do not want to return to a time when parents had to worry their infant could die of meningitis’: Some kids still await routine vaccinations during COVID
‘We do not want to return to a time when parents had to worry their infant could die of meningitis — especially when we have a vaccine to prevent it.’ (Jagannathan, 8/4/20)
CBS Los Angeles: Pediatricians Seeing Vaccination Rates Plunge As Moms Wary Of Bringing Infants, Kids To Hospitals
Decline in vaccinations as high as 90%, doctors say. (8/6/20)
USA Today: Does new school year mean measles or flu outbreaks? Doctors worry as kids miss scheduled vaccinations
A recent survey serves as a small snapshot of a national problem that some fear may be exacerbated in the fall as children return to school for in-person instruction. (Rodriguez, 8/12/20)
MarketWatch: Vaccinating children against the flu is ‘more important than ever’ this year: pediatricians
American Academy of Pediatrics wants to help prevent a fall ‘twindemic’ of flu and coronavirus. (Pesce, 9/9/20)
PBS Newshour: ‘We need to catch up.’ How the U.S. fell behind on child vaccines
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, top American pediatricians could see another crisis looming: a swarm of mini-epidemics of childhood diseases returning as families withdrew from regular medical care, including vaccinations. (Santhanam, 9/17/20)
Health Disparities in Children
Forbes: Black Children More Likely To Suffer Kawasaki-Like Coronavirus Inflammatory Condition
More reports of the unexpected inflammatory condition seen in a small number of children with the coronavirus infection are shedding light on common characteristics of the children. (Haelle, 6/3/20)
Axios: The kids who are most at risk from the coronavirus
The coronavirus isn’t as deadly for children as it is for adults, but kids still get it and can still get seriously sick from it. The risk is higher for Black and Hispanic children. (Owens, 8/13/20)
The New York Times: Why the Coronavirus More Often Strikes Children of Color
Children in minority communities are much more likely to become infected and severely ill. Many have parents who are frontline workers, experts say. (Rabin, 9/1/20)
Mother Jones: Why Are Children of Color Getting COVID-19 at Huge Rates?
Black children—if my arithmetic is correct—die at about 5x the rate of white children. (Drum, 9/1/20)
NPR: The Majority Of Children Who Die From COVID-19 Are Children Of Color
The vast majority of children dying from COVID-19 are Hispanic, Black or Native American, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Greenhalgh & Neighmond, 9/16/20)
