Acute Hemorrhagic Myelitis in an Adolescent With COVID-19: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is considered a multisystem disease rather than solely affecting the respiratory system. In addition, many reports have described neurological manifestations of this disease; yet reports on spinal cord involvement, especially in pediatrics, are still limited. We describe a case of a 15-year-old male with COVID-19, who presented with sudden paraplegia and urinary incontinence, preceded by a two-day history of fever. Upon clinical and radiological assessment, he was diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic myelitis. A remarkable motor improvement upon a nine-month follow-up was perceived. Our case illustrates that serious complications can arise even though COVID-19 causes milder disease in pediatrics. We advocate for vaccinating the pediatric population to prevent such occurrences.