Long-term physical,mental and social health effects of COVID-19 in the pediatric population:a scoping review

Background The majority of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)symptom presentations in adults and children appear to run their course within a couple of weeks.However,a subgroup of adults has started to emerge with effects lasting several months or more after initial infection,which raises questions about the long-term physical,mental and social health effects of COVID-19 in the pediatric population.The purpose of this review was to determine these impacts well into the second year of the pandemic.Methods A search was conducted using PubMed,Web of Science,Science Direct,and Cochrane between 11/1/2019 and 9/1/2021.Search inclusion criteria were as follows:(1)COVID-19 illness and symptoms in children;(2)severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children;(3)English language;and(4)human studies only.Results The few studies that have documented long-term physical symptoms in children show that fatigue,difficulty in concentrating(brain fog),sleep disturbances,and sensory problems are the most reported outcomes.Most studies examining the impact of COVID-19 in pediatric populations have focused on initial clinical presentation,and symptoms,which are similar to those in adult populations.In addition,COVID-19 has had a moderate impact on children and adolescents’social environment,which may exacerbate current and future physiological,psychological,behavioral,and academic outcomes.Conclusions There are limited studies reporting long physical symptoms of COVID-19 in the pediatric population.However,pediatric COVID-19 cases are underreported due to low rates of testing and symptomatic infection,which calls for more longitudinal studies.Children who have experienced COVID-19 illness should be monitored for long physiological,psychological,behavioral,and academic outcomes.

Relationship between parent perception of child anthropometric phenotype and body mass index change among children with developmental disabilities

Background Preschool-age children with developmental disabilities(DD)have higher prevalence of obesity than children without DD.This study aimed to explore the relationship between parent perception of their children's anthropometric phe-notype and child body mass index(BMI)z score change over one school year among preschoolers with DD.Methods The analysis consisted of a subsample(N=64)of children with DD from a larger randomized controlled trial to test an obesity prevention program in the childcare center setting.Parents ranks their child's anthropometric phenotype on a visual silhouette chart on a scale from 1(underweight)to 7(obese)and that rank score is compared to their BMI z score change over one school year.Results The majority(75%)of parents with an obese child underestimated their child's anthropometric phenotype while 7%parents with a non-obese child overestimated.Parent overestimation of child anthropometric phenotype status is associated with increased BMI z score change over 1 school year among preschool-age children with disabilities.Conclusion Parental overestimation of child anthropometric phenotype status was associated with weight gain in preschool children with DD after one school year.