A Mini Review on Current Clinical and Research Findings for Children Suffering from COVID-19

Xiao Li; Kun Qian; Ling-ling Xie; Xiu-juan Li; Min Cheng; Li Jiang; Bjoern W. Schuller

Laboratory testing According to the diagnosis and treatment recommendations by the National Center for children's health and disease, "routine blood test white blood cell count of children with SARS-CoV-2 is usually normal or decreased, with generally lower lymphocyte count; severe cases may exhibit progressive lymphocytopenia. Creactive protein (CRP) is mostly normal or increased. Procalcitonin (PCT) is also at normal level in most cases. Elevation of liver enzymes, muscle enzymes and myoglobin, and increased level of D-dimer could be seen in severe cases" [4] . Nucleic acid testing is the gold standard of laboratory diagnosis. SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid can be detected by RT-PCR or by viral gene sequencing of upper airway specimens (pharyngeal/nasal swabs) and lower airway specimens (sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid), urine, stool, conjunctival secretions, or blood samples. Other methods include that isolation of SARS-CoV-2 particles from human cells by viral cultures [4] . Imaging features "Given chest X-ray examination in the early stage of pneumonia cases, chest images show multiple small patchy shadows and interstitial changes, remarkable in the lung periphery. In severe cases, bilateral multiple ground-glass shadows, infiltrative opacity and pulmonary consolidation may develop, accompanied by rare pleural effusion" [4] .