Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Dr. Fazıl Küçük Medicine Faculty academic staff member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Güzoğlu wrote an article on the occasion of 10-17 April Heart Health Week. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güzoğlu stated the following in her article: 

“COVID-19 disease in children is less severe than adults and most children do not have any symptoms. However, unlike adults, MIS-C Syndrome can be observed in children, albeit rarely. During this syndrome, a serious inflammation affecting the body occurs in children exposed to COVID-19. Because the inflammation affects the entire body, problems associated with many organs arise. However, the heart and blood vessels are especially affected. In a recent study, it was observed that children affected by MIS-C Syndrome had more severe heart problems. 

COVID-19 may rarely cause inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of the heart valves, inflammation of the lining of the heart, heart failure and weakening or swelling of the blood vessels around the heart called coronary aneurysm in children. Children with insufficient immune system, a known heart disease or chronic or genetic diseases and children under 1 year of age are more at risk for heart disease due to COVID-19. 

Palpitations, chest pain, accelerated heart rate and heavy breathing are findings that can be encountered in children with cardiac problems. In order to evaluate such problems without waiting for the progression of the disease, it is important to perform diagnostic tests for COVID-19 on children with a history of contact and showing typical symptoms such as high fever, respiratory distress, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and  fatigue. It is recommended that tests evaluating the heart such as ECG and echocardiography should be performed in COVID-19 positive children, especially if they have high fever and respiratory distress.