Long COVID in children can be as common as asthma, experts say

Key Points:

• Long COVID, a chronic condition lasting at least three months after COVID infection, affects children differently than adults, with symptoms ranging from fatigue and brain fog to stomach pain and rashes, and is estimated to impact nearly 6 million children in the U.S.
• Joaquim, a student who developed long COVID in 2022, experienced severe symptoms including excessive sleep, pain, and memory loss, leading to a diagnosis involving fibromyalgia and Raynaud’s syndrome, and requiring care from multiple specialists.
• The condition has significantly disrupted Joaquim’s life, forcing her to stop playing softball, struggle academically, and miss school days, reflecting challenges faced by many families dealing with pediatric long COVID.
• Researchers note that long COVID symptoms vary by age and may be influenced by immune system differences and social factors, with vaccination shown to potentially reduce the risk of developing the condition.
• There is no single cure for long COVID; treatment is symptom-specific and recovery varies, with some children improving, others experiencing fluctuating symptoms, and some struggling for years.