Studies suggest that children were at low risk of severe COVID early in the pandemic prior to the delta mutation.

Of these cases, 43% were hospitalized for other reasons, such as fractures, and positive tests came to light only after hospitalization.

Nearly 34,000 Canadians of all ages were hospitalized during the same time frame.

“In total, only 150 children were hospitalized with COVID here between the first two waves in Canada,” said Dr. Fatima Kakkar, co-author of research at Ste-Justine Hospital in Montreal. Stated.

“These are very few compared to what happened to adults.”

This study was conducted before the emergence of the more infectious delta mutants that are currently responsible for most COVID-19 infections in Canada.

The study was also conducted before the COVID-19 vaccine was approved for adolescents over 12 years of age. Of the cases investigated, 77 involved children between the ages of 13 and 17.

Pfizer says it will soon seek approval for a vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years.

Fever, a common cough in hospitalized children

Researchers initially believed that children may be at increased risk of serious illness because they are common in respiratory infections in the pediatric population.

Of the 150 children who were directly hospitalized for coronavirus, the most common symptoms were fever (70%) and cough (34%).

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Half were severely ill, 21% were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 13% needed respiratory or cardiac support.

Researchers have shown that more than 3% of Canadian children (high among all age groups in the country) have recently been shown to have antibodies to COVID-19, indicating exposure to the virus. increase.

However, the relatively low number of pediatric hospitalizations indicates that children are less severe than adults, despite the increased likelihood of infection.

Overall, 39% of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 have at least one comorbidity, and those with severe illness have underlying obesity, neurological or respiratory problems. It was likely that he was in good health.

“We often talk about comorbid children and sick children … but 60 percent were free of comorbidities,” she said.

“They were healthy children hospitalized for the disease, while the most severe were children with comorbidities such as obesity and major neurodevelopmental disorders.”

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The author warns that research should not discourage vaccination

Deaths from children infected with COVID-19 are also very rare, supporting the results of other studies.

However, even with promising conclusions, parents are discouraged from vaccination of children from the study, given that studies show that healthy children are also admitted to the hospital. He said he should not take the false sense of security.

We really need to look at the overall well-being of our children: what makes them able to lead a normal life, do activities, play sports and meet friends ?? It is a vaccination.-Dr. Fatima Kucker

“We don’t know which of the healthy children will get the most illness, and we know that severe illness can have consequences,” says Kucker.

“Children intubated in the intensive care unit require months of rehabilitation, and unfortunately it is not possible to predict which children will fall into this category.”

Unvaccinated children are also more likely to continue spreading the virus in their family and friends.

She also said that the delta mutant is much more contagious and is currently causing havoc among unvaccinated adults.

“I don’t want my parents to discourage their children from being vaccinated at all,” Kucker said.

“We really need to look at the overall well-being of our children. What can they do to lead a normal life, do activities, play sports and meet friends? Is it vaccination? “