Some Children Likely to Experience Mysterious Brain Damage from COVID-19, Study Finds

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Children may be more susceptible than youths 'to a secondary, brain damage-causing illness' which follows infection from COVID-19.

COVID-19 may be leading to terrifying neurological issues in some kids. According to research, youngsters may help combat the pandemic itself. 

However, the same study indicates, children may be more susceptible "to a secondary, brain damage-causing illness," which follows infection from COVID-19.

The ailment now called "COVID-19 pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome" is perceived to be hindering immune reaction to the virus. 

In addition, the said disorder is the same as, although reportedly much worse than the "Kawasaki-like inflammatory condition" formerly associated with young adults who have COVID-19. This was stated in a study JAMA Neurology journal published on Wednesday. 

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Children at High Risk

An increasing number of reports of kids contracting systematic inflammatory response necessitating intensive care, the study indicates, and more children with a quite less severe disease similar to Kawasaki suggest that despite the usually mild acute contagion, kids may be at a higher risk of developing a "secondary inflammatory syndrome."

The authors of the study also indicate that "children with COVID-19" may show new neurology-related symptoms that cause impairment to the corpus callosum.

Corpus callosum, the authors specify in the study; on the other hand, helps the two hemispheres of the brain in communicating with each other, in the respiratory symptoms' absence.

Researchers studied 27 children with COVID-19 and the said pediatric inflammatory syndrome. Among the young kids, four of them showed "visible brain lesions." 

More so, interestingly, the researchers claimed they did not find any breathing problem even though it is a typical symptom related to COVID-19. 

4 Children Studied Further

Of the four kids who showed brain lesions, two were reportedly released from confinement at the hospital in less than one month while the two others showed indications of improvement, stayed wheelchair-bound due to the so-called "condition-caused" weakness of the muscle.

Despite some differences, the study indicates, all patients were seen neurological improvement, with two of them showing complete recovery by the end of the research. 

Incidentally, brain impairment had formerly been reported in adults with COVID-19, although findings of such in children, the said research explained, "Are new."

Prior research has discovered COVID-19-caused brain impairment, such as "dizziness, headache, seizures and ataxia "-specifically, a worsening nervous system illness.

Finally, the authors of the study conclude that because of the disturbing new research results, COVID-19 needs to be considered when small kids showing neurological problems are being diagnosed.

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MIS-C, COVID-19-Related Condition in Children

Late last month, more than one-third of children in New York who contracted an ailment similar to Kawasaki disease associated with COVID-19, according to health research, were found to be obese or suffering from other "underlying medical conditions."

In relation to this, the assessment of more than 90 patients with the so-called Multi-Symptom Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C came out in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The said assessment was conducted by the Health Department, in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Albany.

Of all the young participants of the study, 36 of them who are below 21 years of age already had other pre-existing or underlying health conditions. 

In addition, 29 of them were found to be obese. New York Post also reported that of the 90-plus patients, two of them died from MIS-C.

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