ABSTRACT
The experimental group included 68 children over 6 years of age who had recovered from COVID-19. The control group included 22 children over 6 years of age who have never had COVID-19. Research methods included neurological examination, verification of cognitive status, examination by an otolaryngologist, and smell and taste assessment. The examination was performed 6-8 weeks after COVID-19 recovery and after 1 year in some patients. Children who recovered from COVID-19 had a reduction in their ability to smell compared to children who had never had COVID-19. The olfactory thresholds and taste identification scores after recovery from COVID-19 were identical, whether the parents had reported anosmia in their children during COVID-19 or not, and irrespective of hyperthermia level and the presence or absence of headache and hyperhidrosis during COVID-19. Analysis of correlation with neuropsychiatric symptoms showed no differences in the olfactory thresholds in children irrespective of the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (tics, tremors, enuresis, compulsive movements, seizures, speech disorders, attention deficit, and easy fatigability) both in general, and in particular among subjects performing or not any compulsive movements, and experiencing or not a combination of easy fatigability and daytime sleepiness. Evidence suggests that in children and adolescents, partial hyposmia is associated with depressive symptoms, varying in severity from low to high, but symptoms of depression were not caused by COVID-19 infection itself. Analysis in subgroups with different degrees of state and trait anxiety did not reveal any significant differences in the olfactory threshold. A re-examination of 21 children was performed after 1 year. An objective olfactometric examination showed that the sensitivity to odorants increased significantly. In 1 year, we compared the thresholds of smell in children who had COVID-19 and those who did not have this disease: olfactory sensitivity after COVID-19 in children is restored to normal values. Schulte correction test showed that none of 14 children with asthenic manifestations in the form of fluctuations or exhaustion when performing the test immediately after COVID-19 had these manifestations after 1 year. Thus, asthenization of cognitive activity was recorded within the next 1.5 months after suffering from COVID-19 but was absent after 1 year.
ABSTRACT
The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation jointly with professional association and experts in the field of pediatrics, infectious diseases and resuscitation has revised guidelines “Clinical Features and Management of the Disease Caused by New Coronaviral Infection (COVID-19) in Children” in order to provide the child population with effective medical care during the pandemic of the new coronaviral infection. The practical experience of specialists from various countries was considered during the development of this document. Special attention should be given to the evidence base of the presented data, as well as to the efficiency and safety issues of medications used in treatment of coronaviral infection and its complications. The authors highlight the problems of prevention, diagnostics and management of pathological conditions caused by COVID-19 in the article according to the presented guidelines. Patient’s management is presented depending on the age and severity of the disease itself. The therapy is considered with regard to etiological, pathogenetic and symptom focus. С целью обеспечения детского населения эффективной медицинской помощью в условиях пандемии новой коронавирусной инфекции Минздравом России совместно с профессиональными ассоциациями и экспертами в области педиатрии, инфекционных болезней и реанимации были переработаны методические рекомендации «Особенности клинических проявлений и лечения заболевания, вызванного новой коронавирусной инфекцией (COVID-19), у детей». При разработке документа был учтен практический опыт не только специалистов нашей страны, но и зарубежных коллег. Особое внимание уделено доказательной базе представленных данных, а также вопросам эффективности и безопасности лекарственных препаратов, применяемых при лечении данной инфекции и ее осложнений. В статье на основании указанных методических рекомендаций авторы освещают вопросы профилактики, диагностики, лечения патологических состояний, обусловленных COVID-19. Тактика ведения пациента представлена в зависимости от возраста и степени тяжести течения болезни, терапия рассмотрена с позиций этиологической, патогенетической и симптоматической направленности.