Description:
Pediatricians are being warned to look out for an unusual COVID-19 symptom
observed in children, purple swollen toes.
Transcription:
Reporter: Most people don't like showing off their feet.
But, Sadie Dowhan knew something was off.
Sadie: They are very itchy, almost like bug bites.
Reporters: Doctors in the U.S. and Canada were recently sent an alert.
Look out for cases of kids with purple, swollen toes.
Dr. Hepburn: Sometimes they're hot and painful.
Sometimes the children are otherwise well.
Reporter: The condition has been dubbed COVID-toes.
And doctors are being told to test patients for the virus.
Dr. Hepburn: The skin findings themselves are a self-resolving
phenomenon and shouldn¡¯t be a cause for concern.
But it is important that physicians be aware that this may be a sign of COVID-19.
Reporter: Children pick up plenty of germs. The coronavirus is no exception.
But in some ways, this virus is different.
Dr. Kulik: COVID is acting differently than most other typical illnesses such
as influenza.It hasn't really been making children very sick.
Reporter: Chinese researchers found about 6% of children infected with COVID-19
became severely or critically ill. In adults, it's nearly 20 percent.
Doctors aren't sure why but many suspect children might have
a different immune response.
Dr. Kulik: With this virus being novel, the novel coronavirus
we're learning new things every single day.
Reporter: In an effort to get ahead of this disease, pediatricians are sharing
information globally. Including reports of a rare but severe inflammatory
disease that's apparently being seen in some children in Europe.
But Canadian doctors say those reports are unconfirmed.
Dr. Pernica: We don't know how many cases there are.
We don't know if it's really an increase from what you would expect
and we certainly don't know if it's linked to COVID.
Reporter: In serious cases of COVID-19, doctors say children do have
the same symptoms as adults. If a child has a high-fever,
coughing and trouble breathing, they should be rushed to emergency.
News Anchor: OK, so we have Dr. Dina Kulik joining us just to chat
a little bit more about this. And Dr. Kulik, how compelling is the evidence
of a link between COVID-19 and COVID toes?
Dr. Kulik: There certainly a link, We're seeing more and more cases being
reported around the world. Some people have confirmed COVID infection.
Other people are still waiting for test results. But around the world we're seeing
some kids with this rash and COVID infection.
News Anchor: And so given then that, what would you advise to parents
who is they see COVID toes or something similar and see no other symptoms
what ought they to do?
Dr. Kulik: So in this case, because of this different kind of rash,
we are actually recommending that these kids get tested for COVID.
Many other symptoms, like coughing or runny nose or fever or vomiting
most of us are saying, stay home, stay away from people
that are higher risk of sever COVID infection. Like the elderly or people
with chronic health concerns.But because we're monitoring this rash so
carefully we're actually suggesting to families that if your child has this rash
even if otherwise they're asymptomatic and well,
they should actually be tested for COVID.
News Anchor: Okay,
Dr. Kulik. Thanks for your time.
Dr. Kulik: You're welcome.
Questions:
1. What do doctors warn parents for an unusual COVID-19
symptom observed in children?
2. According to the researchers, what's the percentage of children
get infected by the corona virus?
3. As per Dr. Kulik, how compelling is the evidence of a link between COVID-19
and COVID toes? What's her advice to do if parents see this symptom?