Illness duration and symptom profile in a large cohort of symptomatic UK school-aged children tested for SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

Background In children, SARS-CoV-2 is usually asymptomatic or causes a mild illness of short duration. Persistent illness has been reported; however, its prevalence and characteristics are unclear. We aimed to determine illness duration and characteristics in symptomatic UK school-aged children tested for SARS-CoV-2 using data from the COVID Symptom Study, the largest citizen participatory epidemiological study to date. Methods Data from 258,790 children aged 5-17 years were reported by an adult proxy between 24 March 2020 and 22 February 2021. Illness duration and symptom profiles were analysed for all children testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 for whom illness duration could be determined, considered overall and within younger (5-11 years) and older (12-17 years) age groups. Data from symptomatic children testing negative for SARS-CoV-2, matched 1:1 for age, gender, and week of testing, were also assessed. Findings 1,734 children (588 younger children, 1,146 older children) had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result and calculable duration of illness with the study time frame. The commonest symptoms were headache (62.2%) and fatigue (55.0%). Median illness duration was six days (vs. three days in children testing negative); and was positively associated with age (rs 0.19, p<1.e-4) with median duration seven days in older vs. five days in younger children. Seventy-seven (4.4%) children had illness duration =>28 days (LC28); LC28 was more common in older compared with younger children (59 (5.1%) vs. 18 (3.1%), p=0.046). The commonest symptoms experienced by children with LC28 were fatigue (84.4%), headache and anosmia (both 77.9%); however, by day 28 the median symptom burden was two. Only 25 (1.8%) of 1,379 children experienced symptoms for [≥]56 days. Few children (15 children, 0.9%) in the negatively-tested cohort experienced prolonged symptom duration; however, these children experienced greater symptom burden (both throughout their illness and at day 28) than children positive for SARS-CoV-2. Interpretation Some children with COVID-19 experience prolonged illness duration; reassuringly, symptom burden in these children did not increase with time, and most recovered by day 56. Some children who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 also had persistent and burdensome illness. Thus, a holistic approach for all children with persistent illness during the pandemic is required.