Management of a suspected case of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in a 4‐year old child: A simulation scenario

Abstract

a cluster of pneumonia cases, which were later proven to be caused by a novel coronavirus, named COVID-19, emerged in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. 1 By 5 May 2020, 3 606 038 confirmed cases have been reported globally, with 252 151 deaths. The infection is now spread in 189 countries, with Italy as the third county with most confirmed cases (211 938). 2 People of all ages are susceptible to COVID-19, even if the elderly and those with underlying chronic illnesses are more likely to develop a more severe disease. 1 Thus far, all paediatric cases with laboratoryconfirmed COVID-19 infection tended to be milder, with only a few deaths reported. 3 Despite the apparent milder clinical course of COVID-19 infection in the paediatric population, children should be addressed of urgent and careful management. 4 Herein we present a case scenario that requires the correct approach to three main targets: the paediatric patient, the parents and the health-care workers, being the strict implementation of standard prevention an essential part of the working process. This simulation scenario was used at the SIMNOVA simulation centre, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy, during a dedicated programme in the early phase of COVID-19 outbreak, aimed at training paediatric residents to handle suspected cases of COVID-19. The correct management of children with COVID-19 is crucial to limit the spreading of the infection to more vulnerable family members, therefore playing a key role in a wider health policy perspective.