COVID-19 em pediatria: sugestões para o manejo nutricional

Abstract

Few data show the impact of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (called COVID-19) on the pediatric population. However, it is known that children, especially those of a younger age, are a group susceptible to infections, due to some particularities such as immaturity of the immune system, and therefore need special attention during the pandemic. Newborns, infants, children and adolescents hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should receive adequate nutritional assistance. Based on information from the small number of pediatric cases of COVID-19 (compared to the adult population), on the knowledge of the physiological characteristics of this age group and on the epidemiological understanding of SARS-CoV-2, suggestions for a practical approach to care for these patients in units hospitals were developed.