Implications of Gastrointestinal symptoms could indicate Covid-19 infection in children: Study

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea, coupled with a fever or history of exposure to Covid-19, could indicate coronavirus infection in children, according to a new study.

Published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics, the research also suggests that the gastrointestinal symptoms first suffered by some children hint at potential infection through the digestive tract, as the type of receptors in cells in the lungs targeted by the virus can also be found in the intestines.

“Most children are only mildly affected by Covid-19 and the few severe cases often have underlying health issues. It is easy to miss its diagnosis in the early stage when a child has non-respiratory symptoms or suffers from another illness,” said



study author Dr Wenbin Li from Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China.

“Based on our experience of dealing with Covid-19, in regions where this virus is epidemic, children suffering from digestive tract symptoms, especially with fever and/or a history of exposure to this disease, should be suspected of being infected with this virus,” he continued.

In this study, the research team detail the clinical features of children admitted to hospital with non-respiratory symptoms, which were subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia and Covid-19.

“These children were seeking medical advice in the emergency department for unrelated problems, for example, one had a kidney stone, another a head trauma,” said researchers.