Mumbai: There may be a significant shortage of Covid-19 cases among children because of very limited testing in this age group, more in the third wave where the symptoms have so far seemed less severe or absent for the majority.
Nearly 2,620 infections have been reported in children at the 1-10 age bracket in the country between December 20 and January 6 younger children contributing less than 2% of detection.
8,935 Other cases are reported in the 11-20 age group, according to the positive age classification of age classification carried out routinely by the Ministry of Medical Education.
The numbers, though, did not strengthen the situation in the field, where the doctor treats dozens of children in their outpatient department or through online consultations.
Some child specialists recognize that they do not write tests for younger children except severe or persistent symptoms, and during adults in positive test houses.
Dr.
Bakul Parekh, a member of the child’s duty unit, said he saw a large number of children with fever, coughing, cold and shivering at his Ghatkopar clinic.
From 12-20-strange before the start of the third wave with flu-like symptoms, the daily number of children in his clinic had touched almost 60 in the last 7-10 days.
About 80% complained of fever and produced positive results when checked for Covid.
“If parents or other adults in the family are positive, I do not test children.
It does not need to create panic.” Dr.
Tanu Singhal, a pediatric infectious expert at Kokilaben Hospital, treated several children with symptoms, especially fever.
for one or two days.
He also did not test whether there were adults infected at home or asked antigens in cases where no other adults were infected at home.
But he said fever which survived more than three to four days must be evaluated.
“We have a case where the child is repeatedly tested for Covid because his fever will not subside.
It turns out typhoid fever,” Dr.
Singhal said.
The severity of the symptoms in children remains unchanged since the wave of delta, when children mostly see mild infections unlike adults.
Inpatient also is not significant.
Drizzi’s pediatrician Srivastava said he had not recognized the only child of more than 200 he must have consulted in two weeks.
“We only tell parents to keep using high fever, rash, and shortness of breath, which will be signs of multisisty inflammatory syndrome (rare complications that appear 2-5 weeks after covid infection),” he said.
Dr.
Parekh only said the two receipts needed for observations because someone experienced obesity and other diabetics.
In total 66.7 lakh infections since the start of Pandemi, children aged 1-10 took into account 3.19% of cases and 11-20 to 7.5%.
The 3rd wave may see an undercounting of large-scale cases among children
