Doctors advise early detection for children suffering from post-COVID complications
Local medical experts are alerting parents about children suffering post-COVID complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome and viral myocarditis.
Xinhua Hospital said they have received several children suffering from complications after recovering from COVID-19.
A 2-year-old boy developed a cough and fever after being infected with COVID-19 some 20 days ago. The parents weren't aware until seeing a skin rash all over the body.
Doctors confirmed it was multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a serious condition associated with COVID-19, in which different body parts such as the heart, lungs, skin and eyes become inflamed.
Doctors from Xinhua Hospital check the 2-year-old boy with post-COVID multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
Another 10-year-old girl, who recovered from COVID-19 three weeks ago, suddenly had fever and cough, then developed symptoms like nausea, diarrhea and chest sickness.
Her parents took her to Xinhua Hospital, and tests found it was viral myocarditis.
Dr Chen Sun, director of Xinhua Hospital's Heart Center, said parents should stay alert after children recover from COVID-19 infection.
"These post-COVID syndromes are serious. Myocarditis is especially critical," he said.
"If children develop symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, feelings of over tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, bloodshot eyes and skin rashes, they should be sent to a hospital immediately."
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome usually takes place two to six weeks after COVID-19 infection. It usually develops continuous fever and influences multiple organs. Viral myocarditis can be considered one type of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, doctors said.
Chen said the first two to six weeks after recovering from COVID-19 is the key period of time for such inflammatory syndroms.
"The incidence of multisystem inflammatory syndrome and viral myocarditis is not high among healthy children," he said.
"The key is early detection and proper treatment. Most patients can recover. However, if treatment is delayed, the syndrome can develop into critical condition and even fatal to patients."
