Persistent Neurocognitive Problems Related to COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused persistent multisystemic symptoms. Data on the long-term effects of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in children and adolescents are scarce. Persistent neurocognitive symptoms are important for the functionality of children in daily life. This review assessed the literature regarding the frequency, pathology, risk factors, and prognosis of the long-term neurocognitive effects of COVID-19 in the pediatric population. This review demonstrated that children and adolescents had various persistent neurocognitive problems related to COVID-19. The heterogeneity of studies prevents from drawing firm conclusions, as there were differences between study populations and designs in terms of disease severity and time of assessment. Because the pandemic is a recent event, long-term follow-ups to establish how long cognitive impairment persists after COVID-19 recovery are still impossible.