Neurological Presentations in Long COVID-19 Syndrome in Childhood: First Data from the Pediatric Long COVID-19 Outpatient Clinic Jena

The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection has determined lives of people in Germany to an unprecedented extent. In the course of the pandemic, it became apparent that a large proportion of those infected develop a long-COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 syndrome after overcoming the acute infection, which can last for many months. Children are likely to be affected more mildly than adults, but are still relevant. In the United Kingdom, the number of children with long COVID-19 is estimated to be more than 30,000, although precise data on the incidence in children is lacking. The reasons for the occurrence of long COVID-19 have also not yet been unraveled. There are neither diagnostics nor therapeutic guidelines, nor are there any rehabilitation programs. Since the beginning of 2021, children have been systematically cared for by an interdisciplinary team in Germany's first pediatric long-COVID-19 outpatient clinic in Jena. Special attention is paid to mental and neurological dysfunctions, which are examined in an extensive assessment with questionnaires and tests. In this contribution, we present first data of neurological symptoms, which we collected in patients with long COVID-19 syndrome in our outpatient clinic.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
28 October 2021