Dados do Trabalho

Título

POST-COVID-19 IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: SILENT IMPACT ON SLEEP, DIET AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS

Introdução

COVID-19 is a multi-organ disease with diverse clinical manifestations, and many individuals report persistent symptoms even after recovery from the acute phase. Post-COVID-19 Syndrome is a condition characterized by physical, clinical and cognitive sequelae that remain after acute infection. Growing evidence suggests that, among these persistent symptoms, there may be changes in sleep patterns, eating habits and nutritional status. Investigating these changes in children and adolescents is key to understanding the impact of COVID-19 on this population and proposing appropriate interventions.

Objetivo

To describe the changes in sleep, eating habits and nutritional status of children and adolescents with persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms.

Métodos

This is a cross-sectional study of Brazilian children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 diagnosed with COVID-19. Data collection took place from November 2023 to May 2024, using an electronic questionnaire addressed to parents or guardians, which addressed changes in sleep, eating habits and nutritional status during and after infection. The sample was obtained by snowball sampling.

Resultados

40 children from different cities in the states of Minas Gerais and Pernambuco took part in the study. Most of the responses were from male children (65%), aged between 0 and 10 years (70%). Sleep changes were reported in 22.5% of the children, with sleep quality worsening in 78% of these cases and improving in 22%. As for eating habits, there was a reduction in the consumption of vegetables (56.7%) and fruit (66.7%), and an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (55%) and sweets (100%). The majority of children (60%) and adolescents (75%) had eutrophic nutritional status, with 85% maintaining their nutritional status after infection. Weight loss was reported by 15% of guardians, ranging from 500 g to 4 kg.

Conclusões

COVID-19 infection can have a significant impact on several aspects of children's and adolescents' lives, including sleep, eating habits and nutritional status. These findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and targeted interventions to mitigate these effects.

Palavras -chave

Post-covid; Sleep changes; Children and adolescents;