What we know about COVID-19 syndrome that can affect children’s hearts and worries experts

Children and adolescents are infected and die less from the coronavirus than adults. But some they show few symptoms at the onset of infection and after three weeks they face a difficult situation. They develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 disease, which only began to be monitored in May of last year, and worries experts: it can damage the heart as a result.

The scientific and medical community already know what are the most common symptoms that lead to suspicion of the syndrome, but this is still under discussion. why infection can lead to inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys and even eyes of children. “We still don’t know exactly what causes multisystem inflammatory syndrome, but it is known to be associated with the coronavirus,” he said. Infobae specialist Analía De Cristófano, who was one of the reviewers of the Argentinian Society of Infectology Guide to Disorder and is Head of Pediatric Infectology at the Italiano Hospital in Buenos Aires.

“Now we know that some boys have heart changes as a sequel. Por that they must have a subsequent cardiological check ”, warned the specialist. “The disorder can be serious and even fatal, but most children diagnosed with this condition improve with medical care and medication,” the expert said.

In the Americas region, 3,526 children and adolescents had the disease since May of last year. There were 95 dead. The data was released a few days ago by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). There are already 20 countries on the continent that have detected cases of the syndrome.

In the past month, there have been 511 cases of boys with the syndrome and 11 deaths. The United States, Brazil and Chile are the countries with the most reported cases. Argentina has reported 125 cases of boys with inflammatory syndrome and only one death.

“At first, doctors were in doubt as to whether this was a new syndrome,” he said. Infobae Facundo Jorro Barón, deputy secretary of the Emergency and Intensive Care Committee of the Argentinian Pediatric Society and intensive care doctor at the Pedro Elizalde Children’s Hospital in the city of Buenos Aires.

“It must be remembered that the new coronavirus was unknown until January of last year. Initially, symptoms of the new syndrome were identified, similar to those of Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. But with more research and more cases, it has been possible to determine that this is a different syndrome and is associated with coronavirus infection.Jorro Barón added.

Dr Jorro Barón participated in one of the articles with specialist Pedro Taffarel on the first cases of the syndrome in Argentina. “Many children and adolescents with inflammatory syndrome show little or no symptoms in the first few weeks of coronavirus infection. They appear three or four weeks after infection. One hypothesis is that it is due to a delayed immune response to coronavirus infection.“explained the doctor.

What symptoms should adults watch out for? He is currently considered a suspected case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome -or SIM- when children have had a fever for more than 3 days, a rash, low blood pressure and signs of swelling of the hands, mouth or feet. Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain can also be picture symptoms. Before diagnosing this syndrome, it is also necessary to assess that there is no obvious cause of inflammation.

According to the latest update from the OPS, 65% of boys with the syndrome are under the age of 9. 68% are men. 40% of affected boys who died were under 4 years old. “In Latin America, the management of systemic inflammatory syndrome varies depending on the availability of resources in each country. Many affected people need care in the intensive care unit with supplies and equipment, and not all hospitals have these supplies and equipment, ”said Dr Jorro Barón.

In addition, the care of boys in intensive therapy involves the presence of trained specialists. “This is another limiting factor. It is important to mention the importance of human resources. It involves more than 5 years of training after obtaining the undergraduate degree, ”he stressed.

To prevent the problem in children and adolescents, from the Argentinian Pediatric Society, adults, family members or caregivers are recommended to follow measures such as avoiding meetings with non-cohabitants in closed places, which wear chinstrap – even when going to school -, wash their hands frequently and keep a distance of more than a meter from their classmates. “When parents notice – said Dr. Jorro Barón – a symptom of rash, skin inflammation or edema, vomiting, diarrhea, they should see a doctor immediately. Of course, if they are suffering from respiratory distress, they must also consult urgently ”.

But we still don’t know much about the syndrome. In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently acknowledged that “they are still learning about the syndrome and its effects on children. “We don’t know why some children got sick and others didn’t. We also don’t know if children with certain conditions are more likely to get the syndrome. “, admitted officially while an investigation is underway.

In the guide published by the Argentine Society of Infectology, they call for the attention of health personnel. “It is essential that pediatricians, general practitioners, general practitioners, family physicians and clinicians in primary care for children and adolescents are aware of multisystem inflammatory syndrome and include it in the differential diagnoses of febrile children. In patients who meet the criteria for a case definition, it is essential to assess the patterns of inflammation and organ damage ”.

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