Many COVID-19 positive kids have mild symptoms —medical expert

Many children who have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) only displayed mild symptoms of the illness, a pediatric specialist said Thursday.

"Maaaring ang kanilang nararamdaman ay konting ubo, puwedeng nilalagnat," Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim, Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines president, said in Lei Alviz report on 24 Oras.

"'Yung iba po ay sumasakit lang ang lalamunan o kaya may mangilan-ngilan, under 10 percent, na pagtatae lang ang nakikita," she added.

Data from the Department of Health showed that 420 or 4 percent of the country's COVID-19 cases are 18-years-old and below. Eight patients or two percent of the age group have died while 30 patients or seven percent have recovered. 

Due to this, Lim advised parents to observe changes in their children's behavior should they exhibit symptoms such as cough, cold, and flu.

"This is very challenging both for parents and also for the doctors, kasi nga medyo may pagka-traydor po itong sakit na ito eh, kasi katulad po siya ng ordinaryong ubo't sipon, ordinaryong trangkaso," Lim said.

"Ngayon, ang mga babantayan po natin eh 'yung labis na katamlayan ng bata. Mas madalas pang matulog kaysa gumising, hindi na po naglalaro. Itong mga sintomas na ito, ke ano pa 'yung sakit na iyan, kailangan talagang makita na sa pinakamalapit na health facility," she added.

She also urged parents to have their children vaccinated. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News