MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Doctors have not had much time to analyze ‘long-hauler’ COVID-19 symptoms in children, since many didn't start getting infected with the virus until the Delta variant emerged in the summer. However, early studies are showing children, in some cases, are experiencing symptoms even after a COVID infection.
Some children have been experiencing long-hauler symptoms similar to adults, such as brain fog, fatigue, headaches, and irritability.
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital pediatrician Dr. Nick Hysmith said some of these long-hauler symptoms might be mistaken for other societal factors caused by the pandemic. Doctors started seeing these symptoms just as kids were heading back to school, and what they could be experiencing is social anxiety as they return to in-person class after a year of virtual learning.
"We were seeing mental health issues that were reflected in that, but the same time this new long-haul COVID was also being identified, and it was sort of hard for us to tease out those things. But now we're starting to see since they've been in school longer," Hysmith said.
Hysmith said, while more research will have to be done, currently there is no evidence to show children will have lasting developmental issues from a COVID-19 infection.
"At this point, we're not seeing anything hard and fast saying this is going to lead to long-term developmental problems," Hysmith said. "It's also hard to separate those things from the other confounders we have with that because of everything going on in society right now."