A new study says that children previously infected with COVID-19 develop natural circulating antibodies for at least seven months. Learn more about it here.
In this article, you'll read:
- STUDY: Natural COVID-19 antibodies last up to seven months for children
- The long-term effects of COVID-19 in children
Natural COVID-19 antibodies last seven months for children
The new study led by the University of Texas Health Houston said that children infected with COVID-19 develop natural circulating antibodies. And what's interesting is that these antibodies last for about seven months in a child's system.
The study aims to assess the COVID-19 antibody status over time among a population of adults and children around Texas. It began in October 2020, and 218 children ages 5 to 19 years old were part of the study.
About 96 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 continued to have antibodies up to seven months later. Meanwhile, more than half of the samples resulted negative for infection-induced antibodies at their third and final measurement. However, the findings do not include the impacts of vaccine protection.
Sarah Messiah, a researcher from The University of Texas Health at Houston, says,
"These findings are important because the information we collected from children infected with Covid-19 didn't differ by whether a child was asymptomatic, the severity of symptoms, when they had the virus, were at a healthy weight or had obesity, or by gender. It was the same for everyone."
14 million kids in the U.S. tested positive for COVID-19
Sarah Messiah said that the result of Texas CARES was a step in understanding the virus' impact on children. Currently, about 14 million children in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus.
The research team only examined 218 children across the state of Texas and enrolled in the Texas CARES survey. Volunteers who enrolled in the study provided researchers with three separate blood draws.
As a result, the researchers completed three different phases of the study. Samples were collected before the vaccine rollout and during the Delta and Omicron variants.
"Adult literature shows us that natural infection and vaccine-induced protection give you the best defense against COVID-19. There has been a misunderstanding from some parents who think just because their child has had COVID-19, they are now protected and don't need to get the vaccine. While our study is encouraging in that some amount natural antibodies last at least six months in children, we still don't know the absolute protection threshold. We have a great tool available to give children additional protection by getting their vaccine, so if your child is eligible, take advantage of it," Sarah Messiah said.
The Texas CARES study is currently ongoing.
The long-term effects of COVID-19 in children
Pediatric study says that the long-term of COVID-19 in children are few. Hospitalization among children is less common than in adults. However, few children do develop severe illnesses.
COVID-19 in children includes fever, cough, breathlessness, muscle pain and chills, sore throat, and anosmia/ageusia.
Like the long-term effect of COVID-19 in adults, children may also experience persistent joint pain, insomnia, headache, and difficulty in breathing. Aside from the psychological impact of COVID-19, it can also cause profound changes to the environment where children grow up.
Isolation from their friends, family, school, and loss of educational opportunity could affect different aspects of their life. It could worsen the children's current emotional, mental, and behavioural profile.
Furthermore, the study shows that most children who have more than acute illness following the infection from Covid-19 experience many different post-Covid side symptoms such as chronic tiredness, inattention to brain fog, insomnia, other sleep disturbances, and lingering problems with taste and smell.
Mental health issues in children
Meanwhile, mental health issues related to the pandemic include anxiety and depression in children. It happened mostly to children who suffered from a sense of racial discrimination during the pandemic.
Having less physical activity in children could reduce their positive mood. Aside from that, children can also show depressive symptoms, marked anxiety, and other mental and social issues.
Several children who were infected by Covid-19 also experience behavioural changes. Their isolation could lead to troubled relationships with their peers, anger, sleep disturbances, and an overall decline in quality of life.
8 tips to keep students healthy during COVID-19
As mentioned earlier, this study should not give parents the wrong idea that their children are protected from Covid-19 because of the antibodies in their system. Instead, we should remain vigilant and give our children the necessary protection to prevent acquiring the disease. Here are some reminders on how to keep your child healthy during the pandemic:
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If he is eligible, get your kid vaccinated.
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Wear a mask and keep your distance.
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Keep children at home if they are sick.
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Encourage them to do frequent handwashing.
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Allow them to have enough rest.
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Make them eat healthy food to strengthen their immune system.
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Address stress and mental health with your child.
If you have concerns about your child's health after he acquired and recovered from Covid-19, don't hesitate to talk to your paediatrician for more advice.
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