What does the Delta variant look like in children?

It is still too early to say if there are any significant differences in the symptoms of the Delta variant compared to the previous variants.

Yale Medicine reported that coughing and loss of smell are less common with the Delta variant, while headache, sore throat, runny nose, and fever are among the main symptoms.

“It is a bit too early to see high quality studies in the pediatric literature reflecting the current increase in the Delta variant,” said Dr Michael Grosso, the chief medical officer and president of pediatrics at Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital.

“The most common symptoms in children and adolescents appear to be fever and cough, with nasal symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms and rashes much less common,” Grosso added.

Before that, most children with COVID-19 had no symptoms. The Delta variant may create more symptoms in more children than we were seeing earlier in the pandemic.

“Regardless [variant], parents need to stay aware of other illnesses caused by COVID-19 in young people, ”Grosso said.

A serious illness to watch out for is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

“[MIS-C], which is a rare and serious complication of primary COVID-19, appears several weeks after the initial infection, ”Grosso said.

Symptoms of MIS-C include:

• abdominal (intestinal) pain
• bloodshot eyes
• chest tightness or pain
• diarrhea
• exhaustion
• headache
• Low blood pressure
• neck pain
• eruption
• vomiting

“Get your child tested if they have upper respiratory symptoms,” Offit said.

Children with any of the symptoms mentioned above should be tested and seen by a pediatrician. This is especially true before children return to school and when they return from camp.

According to Offit, if your child tests positive for COVID-19, they should be isolated and quarantined until they no longer have symptoms.

Grosso added: “If they are positive but are doing well enough that they do not need hospitalization, parents should watch for breathing problems, fluid intake and, perhaps most importantly, general appearance. . “

A parent’s feeling that their child seems “extinct” is a good reason for reassessment.

It’s also a good idea to require indoor masks and open windows to generate airflow.

“Try to designate a bathroom for the sick person, if possible,” Grosso said. “Finally, prevention is always better than treatment. For school-aged children returning in September, masks for all students, teachers and other staff are essential. And, needless to say, everyone who qualifies should be immunized. “

The Delta variant, as contagious as it is, looks for those who are not vaccinated. There are 50 million Americans who are under the age of 12 and, therefore, are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

As the school year approaches, parents are increasingly eager for a vaccine to be available for their children. But clinical trials are still underway to see how vaccines work in children, including whether they are safe and what the correct dosage should be.

the Pfizer & BioNTech vaccine study enrolled more than 4,600 children in three age groups, with data expected in September, Pfizer told CNN.

the Moderna study educates around 6,700 children.

All this to say that it could still be several weeks before children under 12 are eligible to receive the vaccine. So prevention, right now, is the best defense weapon we have to stop the spread of the Delta variant in children.