Diarrhoea, stomach aches and sickness could be sign of COVID-19 in children, study finds
4 September 2020, 08:34
There has been calls for the NHS to update their list of coronavirus symptoms with diarrhoea and vomiting following the new research.
Diarrhoea, stomach aches and sickness could be a key sign of coronavirus in children, a new study has revealed.
This comes just days after children across the UK returned to school for a new term.
The study, carried out at the University of Belfast, trialled 1000 children of healthcare workers, with the average age of 10.
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Blood samples taken from the children showed that 68 had antibodies, and out of these, half the children experienced symptoms of the virus.
The biggest symptom found in these children was a fever, with 31 per cent, as well as a headache, with 18 per cent.
However, 19 per cent of the children reported gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
Dr Tom Waterfield, the first author of the research, said: "In our group, diarrhoea and vomiting were more predictive than, say, cough or even changes in smell and taste."
"If you want to actually diagnose infection in children, we need to start looking at diarrhoea and vomiting, not just upper respiratory tract symptoms.”
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