Clinical presentation and clinical severity of COVID-19 in pediatric age group in Iraq

Abstract

Background: In general there is susceptibility for the disease in pediatric age group (12). It has been shown that 2 % of affected individuals are children in certain parts of the world (13). Development of severe disease in children has been linked to comorbidities such as malnutrition, asthma, neuropsychiatric disorders, epilepsy, congenital abnormalities and type 1 diabetes mellitus) (14, 15). In Iraq, reports about clinical presentation and severity of disease in pediatric age group are scanty; therefore. Aim of the study: The aim of the current study was to highlight the main clinical features and clinical severity of COVID-19 in children. Patients and methods: The current cross-sectional research was conducted in Iraq's Al-Diwaniyah Province's Children and Maternity Teaching Hospital. The study included 400 children who tested positive for COVDI-19 using RT-PCR after nasopharyngeal swabs. The study included 220 males and 180 females ranging in age from 1 month to 15 years. The severity of disease was considered according to medication required so that children required no oxygen therapy were regarded as mild cases, children required oxygen therapy were regarded as moderate cases while those requiring mechanical ventilation or Continuous positive airway pressure were considered severe cases.