These Rare Symptoms in Children With COVID-19 May Result in Serious Misdiagnosis

These rare but potentially life-threatening symptoms with COVID-19 are often missed in a diagnosis. Early identification is essential.

Larynx x-ray anatomy blue （CLIPAREA l Custom media/Shutterstock）

As of May 11, 2023, nearly 15.6 million cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection had been reported in children in the United States. Children represented almost 18 percent of all U.S. COVID-19 cases. The overall rate of infection was estimated to be 20,718 cases per 100,000 children. 

Although severe forms of COVID-19 are generally rare in children, studies have shown that in children infected with the virus, a significant number experience injuries to the brain and the nerves, including headache, seizure, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, demyelinating disorders, and encephalopathy.