New Delhi, May 29
Amid another global wave of Covid-19 disease, a new study showed that about 15 per cent of babies and toddlers are facing long-Covid conditions and that their symptoms can vary based on age.
Long Covid in kids can be defined as prolonged symptoms that last for at least three months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The study, published in the JAMA Pediatrics, is based on 472 infants and toddlers, and 539 preschool-aged children enrolled from March 2022 to July 2024, found that about 15 per cent of kids had long Covid.
About 40 of 278 infants aged 2 years and under (14 per cent) had persistent symptoms, while 61 of 399 children aged 3 to 5 years (15 per cent) had the symptoms.
Further, the study showed that babies and toddlers experience different long-Covid symptoms than preschoolers ages 3 to 5 years.
Infants and toddlers (younger than 2 years old) were more likely to experience trouble sleeping, fussiness, poor appetite, stuffy nose, and cough.