More than 12.7 million children in the U.S. alone have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began
But, as with some adults, there are still bizarre outcomes. Some youngsters suffer unexplained symptoms long after the virus is gone, what’s often called long COVID. Others get reinfected. Some seem to recover fine, only to be struck later by a mysterious condition that causes severe organ inflammation.
Children’s has about 200 kids up to age 21 enrolled in the study for three years, and it takes on about two new patients each week. The study involves children who have tested positive and those who have not, such as siblings of sick kids. The subjects range from having no symptoms to requiring life support in intensive care. On their first visit, participants get a full day of testing, including an ultrasound of their heart, blood work and lung function testing.
“It was just super frustrating,” says Tara Carpenter, who is quick to add that no one’s to blame. “We’re trying to find out answers for our kid and nobody could give us any. And it just was really frustrating.”from her red burning feet or whimper quietly. She’d come down with a fever, but suffer no other symptoms and be sent home from school for days, ruining Carpenter’s work week. But then in ballet class, with her pink tights and tutu, she’d seem totally normal.
Herbert asks the kids about fatigue, sleep, pain, anxiety, depression and peer relationships. Do they have memory concerns? Are they having a hard time keeping things in their brains?