A study of epidemiological and clinical features in children with COVID-19 infection admitted at tertiary care hospital

Background: Limited data is available on epidemiological features and clinical manifestations ofCOVID 19 disease in children. Present study aimed to analyse demography, epidemiology, clinicalfeatures and outcome in children infected with COVID-19 admitted at a tertiary care institution.Material and Method: A retrospective study was carried out evaluating data of 209 cases, admitted at adedicated COVID hospital from March 2020 to February 2021. Results: Data of 209 children, from age1 month to 12 years with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 with a mean age of 4.7±3.6 years and malefemale ratio of 1.09:1 were studied. 177(84.68%) patients were from identified containment zone.Overcrowding was observed in 115 (55.02%) cases. Close contact with positive family members wasobserved in 166 (79.42%) cases with majority coming from lower middle socio economical class. 60(28.71%) patients were asymptomatic and 149 (71.29%) were symptomatic. Among symptomaticpatients, 118 (79.19%) patients had fever as the main presenting complaint. Positive findings on chestradiograph were found in only 25 (11.96%) patients. In asymptomatic and mild cases, chest radiographwas found to be normal. Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 170 (81.34%) patients. A total of 206patients (98.56%) recovered while 3 patients (1.43%) died. Conclusion: A milder disease pattern isobserved in majority of children with COVID 19. There is higher disease burden observed in lowermiddle socio-economic class with majority of children having positive household contact. Majority ofcases recover with supportive treatment while treatment modalities like oxygen therapy, mechanicalventilation, steroids and low molecular weight heparin are required only in moderate to severe case.Mortality is observed in patients with severe disease and havingco-morbidities.