The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health are collecting data about children in England affected by COVID-19 to learn more about its impact and help plan services.

• Figures are not all encompassing as reporting is not mandatory

• Intensive care patients and newborns are being audited in separate studies

• Inclusion criteria: any child admitted to hospital with a COVID-19 positive swab

Data so far:

• 41 children have tested positive for COVID-19 so far within the study

• Most children are age 3-4 years and presented with a fever (although this may reflect a bias that children with fever are more likely to be tested for COVID-19)

• Around half of the children had no underlying medical conditions

• Most children (79%) did not need any support with breathing (although this study will be bias by not including children who are in intensive care)

Visit the data on RCPCH website

References

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. COVID-19 - service evaluation and audit on the care needs of children admitted to hospital (England). [Online] https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/covid-19-service-evaluation-audit-care-needs-children-admitted-hospital-england#results [Accessed 16.4.20]

Written by Dr Rachel Coles, paediatrics trainee, 16th March 2020.