COVID-19 is Observed in Older Children During the Omicron Wave in New York City.

BACKGROUND: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has a predilection for the upper airways, causing symptoms such as sore throat, hoarse voice, and stridor. OBJECTIVE: We describe a series of children with COVID-19-associated croup in an urban multicenter hospital system. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of children ≤18 years of age presenting to the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were extracted from an institutional data repository comprised of all patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2. We included patients with a croup diagnosis by International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision code and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test within 3 days of presentation. We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes for patients presenting during a pre-Omicron period (March 1, 2020-December 1, 2021) to the Omicron wave (December 2, 2021-February 15, 2022). RESULTS: We identified 67 children with croup, 10 (15%) pre-Omicron and 57 (85%) during the Omicron wave. The prevalence of croup among SARS-CoV-2-positive children increased by a factor of 5.8 (95% confidence interval 3.0-11.4) during the Omicron wave compared to prior. More patients were ≥6 years of age in the Omicron wave than prior (19% vs. 0%). The majority were not hospitalized (77%). More patients ≥6 years of age received epinephrine therapy for croup during the Omicron wave (73% vs. 35%). Most patients ≥6 years of age had no croup history (64%) and only 45% were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSION: Croup was prevalent during the Omicron wave, atypically affecting patients ≥6 years of age. COVID-19-associated croup should be added to the differential diagnosis of children with stridor, regardless of age. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

Indications for Hospitalization in Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection during the Omicron Wave in New York City.

The emergence of the Omicron variant was accompanied by an acute increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New York City. An increased incidence of COVID-19-associated croup in children during the Omicron wave has been recognized, suggesting that there may be other changes in clinical symptoms and severity. To better understand clinical outcomes and health care utilization in children infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron wave, we performed a cross-sectional study in pediatric patients aged ≤18 years who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric emergency departments within a large medical system in New York City from 2 December 2021 to 23 January 2022. We described the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department and were hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron wave in New York City. There were 2515 children tested in the ED for SARS-CoV-2 of whom 794 (31.6%) tested positive. Fifty-eight children were hospitalized for a COVID-19-related indication, representing 7.3% of all COVID-19-positive children and 72% of hospitalized COVID-19-positive children. Most (64%) children hospitalized for a COVID-19-related indication were less than 5 years old. Indications for hospitalization included respiratory symptoms, clinical monitoring of patients with comorbid conditions, and exacerbations of underlying disease. Eleven (19%) hospitalized children were admitted to the ICU and six (10%) required mechanical ventilation. Children infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave, particularly those less than 5 years old, were at risk for hospitalization. A majority of hospitalizations were directly related to COVID-19 infection although clinical indications varied with less than a half being admitted for respiratory diseases including croup. Our findings underscore the need for an effective COVID-19 vaccine in those less than 5 years old, continued monitoring for changes in clinical outcomes and health care utilization in children as more SARS-CoV-2 variants emerge, and understanding that children are often admitted for non-respiratory diseases with COVID-19.

The Pediatric Neurology 2020 Research Workforce Survey: Optimism in a Time of Challenge.

BACKGROUND: The past decades have seen a transformational shift in the understanding and treatment for neurological diseases affecting infants and children. These advances have been driven in part by the pediatric neurology physician-scientist workforce and its efforts. However, pediatric neurology research faces substantial challenges from internal and external forces including work-life balance demands, COVID-19 pandemic effects, and research funding. Understanding the impact of these challenges on the perceptions, planning, and careers of pediatric neurology physician-scientists is needed to guide the research mission. METHODS: Our objective was to survey the research challenges, goals, and priorities of pediatric neurologists. In 2020 we conducted a cross-sectional, 28-question survey emailed to 1,775 members of the Child Neurology Society. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one individuals responded to the survey. Most respondents were grant investigators (52%) and conducted clinical research (69%). Research areas included epilepsy (23%), neurodevelopmental and autism (16%), neurocritical care and stroke (11%), neurogenetics and neurometabolics (9%), neonatal neurology (8%), and others. The most common funding source was the National Institutes of Health (37%). Shared major research concerns were funding, utilization of remote technology, overcoming disparities, natural history and multicenter studies, global neurology, and diversification of the research portfolio. Commitment to continuing and increasing research efforts was evident. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey demonstrates obstacles for physician-scientist researchers in pediatric neurology, but it also shows optimism about continued opportunity. Creative approaches to address challenges will benefit the research mission, maximize the current and future pool of researchers, and help improve the lives of children with neurological disorders.

An accelerated shift in the use of remote systems in epilepsy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to describe epileptologists' opinion on the increased use of remote systems implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic across clinics, education, and scientific meetings activities. METHODS: Between April and May 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional, electronic survey on remote systems use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic through the European reference center for rare and complex epilepsies (EpiCARE) network, the International and the French Leagues Against Epilepsy, and the International and the French Child Neurology Associations. After descriptive statistical analysis, we compared the results of France, China, and Italy. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-two respondents from 35 countries completed the survey. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 63.4% had experienced remote systems for clinical care. During the pandemic, the use of remote clinics, either institutional or personal, significantly increased (p < 10-4). Eighty-three percent used remote systems with video, either institutional (75%) or personal (25%). During the pandemic, 84.6% of respondents involved in academic activities transformed their courses to online teaching. From February to July 2020, few scientific meetings relevant to epileptologists and routinely attended was adapted to virtual meeting (median: 1 [25th-75th percentile: 0-2]). Responders were quite satisfied with remote systems in all three activity domains. Interestingly, before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote systems were significantly more frequently used in China for clinical activity compared with France or Italy. This difference became less marked during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered how academic epileptologists carry out their core missions of clinical care, medical education, and scientific discovery and dissemination. Close attention to the impact of these changes is merited.

Care Delivery for Children With Epilepsy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Survey of Clinicians.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global access to care and practice patterns for children with epilepsy. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, online survey of pediatric neurologists across the world affiliated with the International Child Neurology Association, the Chinese Child Neurology Society, the Child Neurology Society, and the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium. Results were analyzed in relation to regional burden of COVID-19 disease. RESULTS: From April 10 to 24, 2020, a sample of 212 respondents from 49 countries indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed many aspects of pediatric epilepsy care, with 91.5% reporting changes to outpatient care, 90.6% with reduced access to electroencephalography (EEG), 37.4% with altered management of infantile spasms, 92.3% with restrictions in ketogenic diet initiation, 93.4% with closed or severely limited epilepsy monitoring units, and 91.3% with canceled or limited epilepsy surgery. Telehealth use had increased, with 24.7% seeing patients exclusively via telehealth. Changes in practice were related both to COVID-19 burden and location. CONCLUSIONS: In response to COVID-19, pediatric epilepsy programs have implemented crisis standards of care that include increased telemedicine, decreased EEG use, changes in treatments of infantile spasms, and cessation of epilepsy surgery. The long-term impact of these abrupt changes merit careful study.

Management of Infantile Spasms During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have mandated a change to standard management of infantile spasms. On April 6, 2020, the Child Neurology Society issued an online statement of immediate recommendations to streamline diagnosis and treatment of infantile spasms with utilization of telemedicine, outpatient studies, and selection of first-line oral therapies as initial treatment. The rationale for the recommendations and specific guidance including follow-up assessment are provided in this manuscript. These recommendations are indicated as enduring if intended to outlast the pandemic, and limited if intended only for the pandemic health care crisis but may be applicable to future disruptions of health care delivery.