COVID-19 in Children: A Narrative Review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the third known zoonotic coronavirus. It is a disease that does not spare any age group. The scientific community has been inundated with information since January 2020. This review aims to summarise pertinent information relating to COVID-19 in children. METHOD Literature search was conducted in 2020 on the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases, with the keywords "COVID 19" and "children". A bibliographic search of articles included was also undertaken. The abstracts were scanned to assess their appropriateness to be included in this narrative review. The data was updated on 11th April 2020. RESULT The aetiology, transmission, incubation, pathophysiology, clinical features and complications, and management are discussed in this study. CONCLUSION Our understanding of COVID-19 is evolving as more reports are being published. The growth of SARS-CoV2 is limited in children and they are often asymptomatic. The disease course is also milder. Continued research to understand its effect in children is important to help us manage the disease in these vulnerable populations in a timely fashion.