Can children get sick with COVID-19?

See full answerBased on available evidence, while fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, can get sick from COVID-19, and can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to others. While it appears that in most cases, children who become sick experience mild illness, some children can get severely ill with COVID-19. In rare cases, severe illness in children might lead to death.Babies under 1 year old may be more likely to have severe illness from COVID-19. Also, children with certain underlying conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and sickle cell disease, may be more likely to have severe illness from COVID-19.Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in adults and children and can look like symptoms of other common illnesses such as colds, strep throat, or allergies.

Do asymptomatic children spread the COVID-19 virus?

Children are underrepresented in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case numbers (1,2). Severity in most children is limited, and children do not seem to be major drivers of transmission (3,4). However, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects children of all ages (1,3). Despite the high proportion of mild or asymptomatic infections (5), they should be considered as transmitters unless proven otherwise.

Is there asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus disease?

Recent epidemiologic, virologic, and modeling reports support the possibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission from persons who are presymptomatic (SARS-CoV-2 detected before symptom onset) or asymptomatic (SARS-CoV-2 detected but symptoms never develop).

What’s the difference between a cold and a flu?

Cold symptoms vs flu symptoms. With flu, the symptoms tend to come on rapidly and your child will look and feel more sick. They may complain of sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, weakness and feeling tired. Fevers may be high, and your child could experience chills. Most kids get better in a few days to 2 weeks.

How to tell if your child has the flu or a cold?

Cold symptoms vs flu symptoms. They may complain of sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, weakness and feeling tired. Fevers may be high, and your child could experience chills. Most kids get better in a few days to 2 weeks. If your child has any trouble breathing, a change in skin color, is not able to drink fluids, has severe vomiting,…

How long does a cold last for a child?

However, the severity and onset are usually different. With a common cold, the symptoms usually come on gradually with progressively worse cough, runny nose, congestion and/or sneezing. Your child can also have a fever. The symptoms may last 3-10 days.

What causes a common cold in a toddler?

The common children’s cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. While toddler colds can be caused by more than 200 varieties of contagious viruses, the most frequent causes of the common cold are rhinoviruses.