Children don’t just bounce back after COVID.
A Bavarian study shows deep neurocognitive and emotional impacts in kids & teens - fatigue, loss of motivation, attention problems, mood disorders.
What they found🧵
A Bavarian study shows deep neurocognitive and emotional impacts in kids & teens - fatigue, loss of motivation, attention problems, mood disorders.
What they found🧵
85 children, ages 2-17 (avg 12.5, 61% girls). All had confirmed COVID and symptoms lasting ≥4 weeks.
They underwent multidisciplinary exams - psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, gastro + neuropsychological testing.
They underwent multidisciplinary exams - psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, gastro + neuropsychological testing.
Most common symptoms.
fatigue (82%)
loss of motivation (73%)
attention/concentration problems (72%)!
low mood (53%)
anxiety (32%)
post-exertional malaise (70%)!
Not just stress.
fatigue (82%)
loss of motivation (73%)
attention/concentration problems (72%)!
low mood (53%)
anxiety (32%)
post-exertional malaise (70%)!
Not just stress.
Psychiatric findings.
83.5% had abnormal exams!
Most common diagnoses -
post-COVID adjustment disorder (39%)
post-COVID attention disorder (24%)
Over half required further psychiatric care!
83.5% had abnormal exams!
Most common diagnoses -
post-COVID adjustment disorder (39%)
post-COVID attention disorder (24%)
Over half required further psychiatric care!
Neuropsychological testing.
Main deficit - sustained attention (slower, more errors).
Working memory mostly normal, but 12% below average.
Well match sub study (50 kids, ages 3-12) showed worse scores vs healthy controls in verbal-logical thinking, attention & working memory (Wechsler test).
The authors present it as part of their results to demonstrate that even when using a standardized intelligence test, significant cognitive deficits become apparent.
Main deficit - sustained attention (slower, more errors).
Working memory mostly normal, but 12% below average.
Well match sub study (50 kids, ages 3-12) showed worse scores vs healthy controls in verbal-logical thinking, attention & working memory (Wechsler test).
The authors present it as part of their results to demonstrate that even when using a standardized intelligence test, significant cognitive deficits become apparent.
Risk factors.
allergies - higher risk of adjustment disorder
combo of age, sex, obesity, prior psych history, virus variant - higher risk of attention disorder
poor sleep & isolation - worse psychological outcomes
allergies - higher risk of adjustment disorder
combo of age, sex, obesity, prior psych history, virus variant - higher risk of attention disorder
poor sleep & isolation - worse psychological outcomes
Importantly - JAMA data show Long COVID affects even the youngest (ages 0–6).
They cannot describe brain fog or fatigue - but parents and teachers see it in sleep disruption, behavioral change, developmental delay.
They cannot describe brain fog or fatigue - but parents and teachers see it in sleep disruption, behavioral change, developmental delay.
Multiple studies now confirm rising psychiatric and cognitive impacts in children after COVID.
This is not limited to vulnerable groups. The biological impact of infection on the developing brain is broad and systemic!
This is not limited to vulnerable groups. The biological impact of infection on the developing brain is broad and systemic!
Rates of psychiatric morbidity in post-COVID kids far exceed both the general population and the pandemic effect seen in COPSY data.
The infection itself is the driver - not just lockdowns or stress.
The infection itself is the driver - not just lockdowns or stress.
Sum:
COVID-19 can cause serious, lasting neurocognitive and emotional harm in children, disrupting school, relationships, daily life.
We must recognize this reality and build multidisciplinary care around it. @szupraha @ZdravkoOnline
COVID-19 can cause serious, lasting neurocognitive and emotional harm in children, disrupting school, relationships, daily life.
We must recognize this reality and build multidisciplinary care around it. @szupraha @ZdravkoOnline
Hauke-Gleisner at al. Neurocognitive and emotional long-term effects of COVID-19 infections in children and adolescents: results from a clinical survey in Bavaria, Germany. bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…
Follow-up clarification.
The Bavarian study shows what children referred for post-COVID symptoms look like. But it’s a next clinical cohort - results cannot be generalized to the whole population. So these findings do not establish prevalence.
The Bavarian study shows what children referred for post-COVID symptoms look like. But it’s a next clinical cohort - results cannot be generalized to the whole population. So these findings do not establish prevalence.
Prevalence of pediatric LC remains uncertain - partly because there are still too few high-quality studies, and existing estimates vary widely (JAMA US vs European cohorts, different definitions, different methods).
But importantly - biological impacts of COVID in children are not simple on/off.
They exist on a spectrum, from mild transient changes to severe long-term dysfunction.
They exist on a spectrum, from mild transient changes to severe long-term dysfunction.
Prevalence estimates of pediatric Long COVID differ, depending on study & def.
6.3% US kids ever diagnosed w/ PCC - higher than asthma 5.8%. JAMA Pediatr 2025
1.3% ever PCC, 0.4% current symptoms
JAMA Pediatr 2024
2-10% in European cohorts
BMJ 2022. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2022
So numbers vary - but the signal is clear - not rare, not fringe.
6.3% US kids ever diagnosed w/ PCC - higher than asthma 5.8%. JAMA Pediatr 2025
1.3% ever PCC, 0.4% current symptoms
JAMA Pediatr 2024
2-10% in European cohorts
BMJ 2022. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2022
So numbers vary - but the signal is clear - not rare, not fringe.
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