Covid-19 symptoms in children
What you need to know about COVID-19
Children and adolescents can also get COVID-19.
Although fewer children get COVID-19 than adults, children can also get the virus that causes COVID-19, can get COVID-19, and can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to others. Children who have been infected with COVID-19 but have no symptoms (“asymptomatic”) can spread the virus to others, just like adults.
Most children infected with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms. However, some children can get severely ill with COVID-19. They may need hospitalization or intensive care, and may need to use a ventilator to help them breathe. Rarely, it can lead to death.
CDC and its partners are investigating a rare but serious COVID-19-related condition called Pediatric Multi-Organ Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C). It is not yet known what causes MIS-C and which people are at high risk. Learn more about MIS-C.
Infants under the age of 1 and children with certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop severe illness from COVID-1.
Infants under the age of 1 are more likely to develop severe illness from COVID-19. Other children, regardless of age, are also at higher risk for serious illness than other children if they have an underlying disease or medical condition, such as:
- Asthma or chronic lung disease
- diabetes
- Genetic, neurological, or metabolic disease
- Congenital heart disease
- Immunosuppression (if the immune system is weakened due to certain medical conditions, or if you are taking drugs that weaken the immune system)
- Medically complex symptoms or complications (if you have multiple chronic diseases that affect many parts of the body and you need technical tools and other significant help in your daily life)
- obesity
Not all underlying conditions that may increase your child's risk of serious illness are listed on this list. CDC will update and share information on children's risk of serious illness as more information becomes available.
If you have a child with an underlying medical condition, be sure to talk to your doctor about your child's risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are cough and fever.
COVID-19 symptoms are similar in adults and children and may look similar to other common conditions such as colds, strep throat, and allergies. The most common COVID-19 symptoms in children are fever and cough, but any of the following COVID-19 symptoms can occur.
- Fever or chills
- cough
- Stuffy nose or runny nose
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
- colic
- Fatigue
- headache
- Muscle pain or body aches
- Loss of appetite, especially infants under the age of 1
Actions you can take
- Fever (body temperature above 100.4°F)
- Sore throat
- New cough symptoms that are not suppressed enough to cause dyspnea (in children with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, observe for changes in normal cough patterns)
- Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
- Severe headache, especially if it is new with fever
Remembering your child's close contacts
If your child or yourself have been around a person infected with COVID-19, health agencies can contact you to follow up the contact, so please respond to the conversation and follow the advice.
Taking precautions to protect your child if you develop symptoms of COVID-19
If you get COVID-19, take precautions to avoid spreading the virus to children and others.
If your child has symptoms, keep the child at home and contact a medical institution
If your child has symptoms and is also exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19, or if it is possible that he was in an area where the virus is circulating,
- Make the child stay at home.
- Contact your child's medical institution to discuss the need for a COVID-19 examination or test. If you suspect that your child or someone you know has been infected with COVID-19 or has been in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19, visit the Coronavirus Self-Test page. This online tool will help you determine when your child will be tested or treated.
- Make sure you don't get COVID-19 while caring for your child.
- Notify the child's school that the child is sick. You should also notify the school if your child has been tested for COVID-19 and has results.
- Review the school's (or other childcare facility's) policy regarding when a sick child can be returned to school.
- After it's safe to hang out with others, send your child back to school or other face-to-face activities.
If your child is sick and you see a medical provider and you do not have COVID-19, your child may still need to stay home for the time being. Before taking your child back to school or other face-to-face activities, consult with the health care provider about your child's medical condition, and review the school's (or other child care facility's) policy regarding when the sick child can return to school.
Call 911 or take your child to the emergency room in an emergency
Emergency care for your child should not be delayed because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The hospital emergency room has an infection prevention plan to protect you and your child from COVID-19 infection if your child needs emergency care.
If your child sees any of the following emergency warning signs, seek medical attention immediately.
- Difficulty breathing
- Persistent chest pain or pressure that does not go away
- Confusion symptoms like never before
- Not waking up or unconscious even though you are not tired
- Blue lips or face
- Not all symptoms are listed on this list.
If you have any other symptoms that are serious or of concern, you should contact your doctor.
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