Coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) is an illness caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be about the same for children as in
adults, at 2-14 days with an average of 6 days.
Signs or symptoms of
COVID-19 in children include:
Children infected with
SARS-CoV-2 may have many of these non-specific symptoms, only have a few (such
as only upper respiratory symptoms or only gastrointestinal symptoms), or maybe
asymptomatic. The most common symptoms in children are cough and/or fever. A recent systematic review estimated that 16% of children with SARS-CoV-2
infection are asymptomatic, but evidence suggests that as many as half of
pediatric infections may be asymptomatic. The signs and symptoms of
COVID-19 in children are similar to those of other infections and noninfectious
processes, including influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and allergic
rhinitis.
As of October 22, 2020, remdesivir, an antiviral agent, was the
only drug approved for the treatment of COVID-19. It was indicated for the
treatment of COVID-19 disease in hospitalized adults and children aged 12 years
and older who weigh at least 40 kg.