DS children from low- middle-income countries are more in risk of COVID-19 comparing to high-income on syndromes such as cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. Patients above 5 years of age with DS that are from LMIC has higher rate of hospitalization (48.5%) than the sample as a whole (39.0%).

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Tulane University

DS children had significantly higher rates of medical complications like pneumionia(36.9% DS vs. 11.1% controls) , ARDS(32.8% DS vs. 1.9% controls) and acute renal failure(17.3% DS vs. 2.9% controls) 
DS patinets are more put on mechanical ventilation (24.8% DS vs. 5.8% controls). Mortality rate is significantly higher in patients with DS(5.0% DS vs. 0.5% controls)  but all deaths occurred among children from low- middle-income contry.

COVID-19 in Down Syndrome Children from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey

Emes D, Hüls A, Baumer N, Dierssen M, Puri S, Russell L, Sherman SL, Strydom A, Bargagna S, Brandão AC, Costa ACS, Feany PT, Chicoine BA, Ghosh S, Rebillat AS, Sgandurra G, Valentini D, Rohrer TR, Levin J, Lakhanpaul M, On Behalf Of The Trisomy Research Society Covid-Initiative Study Group. COVID-19 in Children with Down Syndrome: Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey. J Clin Med. 2021 Oct 31;10(21):5125. doi: 10.3390/jcm10215125. PMID: 34768645; PMCID: PMC8584980.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8584980/

COVID-19 in Children with Down Syndrome: Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey

DS children are more likely to have severe symptoms because they usually suffer from more kinds of risks especially for those living in LMIC. Older ages (OR 1.75 for 5 additional years [1.37–2.23]), Obesity (OR 2.27 [1.12–4.59]), and Epilepsy (OR 3.97 [1.65–9.58]) were the significant risk factors for hospitalisation among COVID-19 patients in the study. 

Down Syndrome children risk factors

Down Syndrome children in different countries of incomes

DS children should be able to receive vaccination as much as possible. When vaccination is rolled out for paediatric populations, children with DS need to be prioritised. DS patients from LMIC needs more attention. Efforts should be made to monitor the health of children and young people with DS during ongoing pandemic and to report any COVID-19 signs and symptoms in a timely manner.

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