The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and a Description of the General Complications

Abstract

Background: The pandemic caused by coronavirus 2019 has had an impact on the world’s health systems as it affects children. Objective: This study aimed to analyze and assess clinical outcomes associated with COVID-19 and its impact on children, as well as determine the common complications for children with COVID-19. Patients and methods: This study recruited 120 child patients infected with COVID-19, and their ages ranged from 1 to 12 years. The patient’s clinical data were collected from all hospitals and centers in different hospitals in Iraq for the period that extended from February 6, 2022, to September 19, 2023. This study recorded COVID-19 case data, which examined the severity of COVID-19 on children, the type of admission they experienced, the prevalence of complications, and the identification of risk factors. Results: Our results were shown clinical outcomes of COVID-19 who had children aged 1-4 years had the highest prevalence; males were a higher rate of COVID-19 with 65% than females (35%); the rate of comorbidities was 35%; the most common diseases were HIV (11 cases) and malnutrition (6 cases), the severity of COVID-19 had shown included mild (60 children), moderate (36 children), and severe (18 children), the rate of children admitted to the emergency room was 1.67%, the pediatric ward was 88.33%, and the PICU was 10.0%, the mortality rate was two children, the length of stay in the PICU was 3–8 days, and the and the length of stay in the hospital was 3–6 days, rate of complications was 15 cases, physical function was 79.56 ± 8.94, daily activity was 84.92 ± 2.68, and emotional function was 81.24 ± 3.57. Conclusion:  The current study proves that the Covid – 19 can cause a decrease in the quality of life of pediatric patients, but the death rate is very low and makes children less susceptible to long-term complications

Keywords

Covid – 2019; Children; Complication; HIV; PICU; Severity classification of Covid -19; and Quality of life (QOL).