Short Term Squeals of COVID-19 Pandemic Among Children and Adolescents with Various Hematological Disorders in Egypt

BACKGROUND: Since its emergence, COVID-19 has hugely impacted healthcare, including pediatrics. During the COVID 19 pandemic waves, the medical follows up of pediatric patients with hematological diseases might be negatively affected in Egypt. The aim of this study is to assess the difference in COVID 19 clinical symptoms among the studied patients and healthy controls during the pandemic. Moreover, to identify the short-term effects of COVID 19 on the medical care, knowledge, behavior, and practice among children and adolescents with hematological disorders; so that the required health services can be improved and modified to those with chronic diseases in the event of any epidemic or other disasters. METHODS: A cross–sectional case-control study was carried out on 200 children and adolescents suffering from chronic hematologic diseases during 1st wave of COVID 19 pandemic. They were attending the hematological clinics at the National Research Centre (NRC) and three University Hospitals: Ain Shams, Menia, and Menofia. A control group of 100 non-hematologic children with matched age and sex was selected. RESULTS: As regards the history of clinical symptoms of COVID-19; patients with hematological disorders were significantly suffering from most of COVID-19 symptoms compared to controls (P <0.05). Nearly two third (64%) of the studied patients continue visiting their hematological clinics, 15.5% had difficulty in blood transfusion, 6.0% suffered from cardiac complications due to iron overload, 6.5% complained of delay of their treatment regimens, and 8.5% contacted their doctors via telemedicine. About three quarters (77.0%) had an overall good general knowledge regarding the common clinical presentations of COVID-19 symptoms and 63.0% were ready to be vaccinated, when vaccine is available. Their main sources of knowledge were TV, radio, and the internet. Change in the behavior of pediatric patients during the epidemic wave was reported. About 56% of them wash their hands with soap and water or by alcohol 70% upon entering the house, 41.0% increased their intake of fruits and vegetables, and 17.5% practiced home physical exercise. The participants studied had a phobia from rapid spread of this epidemic (29.0%) and the lack of effective treatment (27.0%), so they avoided going to school (25.0%) and avoided talking in public transportation (25.5%) during the wave time. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 epidemic had affected children and adolescents with hematological disease medically as the follow-up rate decreased relatively and this led to some complications. Fortunately, the knowledge and behavior towards COVID pandemic were updated among a good percent of them. The health care administration system has to be upgraded and to develop a strategy for children with chronic diseases in the time of pandemic waves.