Clinical findings in children with COVID-19 treated in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Introduction: Children have shown a lower prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, as well as a mild course of the disease. The symptoms they present are a reflection of its effect on the respiratory, digestive, neurological and systemic levels. Recognizing them makes it easier to approach a patient with suspected COVID-19. Methods: Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study, which included 51 children with confirmed infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus treated in the Pediatric Emergency Department of the Hospital General del Sur de Quito during the months of April to June, with ages between 1 month and 17 years 11 months and 29 days. The data was obtained from the AS400 system. The analysis was carried out with the SPSS statistical program, percentages were determined in the nominal variables, whilst measures of central tendency and dispersion were determined in the numerical ones. Results: 51 children were included, most of them adolescents from 10 to 14 years old (29.4%). More than half were male (56,9%). 82,4% reported respiratory clinical manifestations. The most prevalent symptoms were fever and cough (68,6%). Most of the patients had a mild course of the disease (60,8%), but those under one year of age had severe disease more most frequently. Conclusions: There is a predominance of the male sex. Most patients have come with respiratory symptoms and present mild illness. The most common clinical manifestations are fever and cough.