Long COVID Symptoms in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers Differ from School-Aged Children, Study Finds

Strategic Insights -

According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers exhibit symptoms of long COVID, but these symptoms can be different and more challenging to identify in these age groups. The study, part of the National Institutes of Health-funded Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative, investigated 1,011 children, with 472 being infants and toddlers, and 539 being preschoolers. The findings suggest that younger children with long COVID are more likely to experience difficulty sleeping, fussiness, poor appetite, stuffy nose, and coughing, while preschoolers are more likely to experience coughing and daytime tiredness and low energy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that 15% of the 677 children with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified as likely having long COVID.
  • Infants and toddlers with long COVID were more likely to experience difficulty sleeping, fussiness, poor appetite, stuffy nose, and coughing.
  • Preschoolers with long COVID were more likely to experience coughing and daytime tiredness and low energy.
  • The symptoms of long COVID in younger children differ from those reported among school-age children and teens.
  • Clinicians and caregivers may not recognize long COVID in younger children because they are unfamiliar with it.
  • The failure to diagnose long COVID quickly delays treatment and inhibits the availability of supportive services to children with long COVID.
  • The study is the largest systematic look at long COVID in younger children in the United States.

Statistics:

  • 1,011 children were included in the study.
  • 472 of the children were infants and toddlers (children 2 years old or younger).
  • 539 of the children were preschoolers (children 3 to 5 years old).
  • 101 (15%) of the 677 children with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified as likely having long COVID.

Sources:

  • NewsRx LLC, "Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers Exhibit Symptoms of Long COVID" (2025 AUG 10)
  • Lawrence Kleinman, et al., "Long COVID in Children: A Systematic Review" Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics (2025)
  • Sunanda Gaur, et al., "Systematic Look at Long COVID in Younger Children in the United States" Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics (2025)
  • Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (NIH RECOVER) Initiative, recovercovid.org.