Stanford researchers say hospitals overcount pediatric COVID cases
Hospitalizations among children for COVID-19 are likely being overcounted, according to Stanford researchers.
The overcount may be due to asymptomatic children being counted, according to a study the researchers published in Hospital Pediatrics. All hospitalized children are being test for COVID-19, but nearly half of those who test positive never actually develop symptoms of the virus.
The findings come at a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking at COVID-19 vaccine data on children and pregnant women. The agency expects to see trial results on vaccines for pregnant women this summer and for children as young as 6 months old by the end of the year, CNBC reported.
Compared to adults, children have been less likely to catch the virus or present symptoms. Children are also less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19. Children that have been hospitalized for other reasons, like broken bones, appendicitis or other ailments and illnesses, have tested positive for COVID-19.
“It’s really important that we distinguish between children who are hospitalized with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and those hospitalized for COVID-19 disease,” Alan Schroeder, MD, a co-author of the paper and clinical professor of pediatric critical care and of pediatric hospital medicine, said in a statement. “Our goal is to make sure we have accurate data on how sick children are getting. If we rely on hospitals’ positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, we are inflating by about two-fold the actual risk of hospitalization from the disease in kids.”
Researchers analyzed COVID-19 data from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford between May 10, 2020, and Feb. 10, 2021. During that period, the hospital conducted universal COVID-19 testing for all patients, and 117 children tested positive for the virus or were hospitalized for MIS-C, which is an inflammatory syndrome that affects children following a viral infection. Of the 117 who tested positive, 39.3% were asymptomatic, while 28.2% had a mild to moderate case, 12.8% had critical illness and 12% had MIS-C.
When analyzing the cases and reasons for admission, 45% of the positive children were not admitted for reasons related to COVID-19. Stanford researchers hope their study will help inform public health data as the CDC and other public health officials study the impact of COVID-19 among children.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."