Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant).

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is often reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet evidence gaps remain. We aimed to (i) report the prevalence and characteristics of children and young people (CYP) reporting "brain fog" (i.e., cognitive impairment) 12-months post PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine whether differences by infection status exist and (ii) explore the prevalence of CYP experiencing cognitive impairment over a 12-month period post-infection and investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and sleep problems. METHODS: The Omicron CLoCk sub-study, set up in January 2022, collected data on first-time PCR-test-positive and PCR-proven reinfected CYP at time of testing and at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing. We describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment at 12-months, indicating when it was first reported. We characterise CYP experiencing cognitive impairment and use chi-squared tests to determine whether cognitive impairment prevalence varied by infection status. We explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and trouble sleeping using validated scales. We examine associations at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing by infection status using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. RESULTS: At 12-months post-testing, 7.0 % (24/345) of first-positives and 7.5 % (27/360) of reinfected CYP experienced cognitive impairment with no difference between infection-status groups (p = 0.78). The majority of these CYP experienced cognitive impairment for the first time at either time of testing or 3-months post-test (no difference between the infection-status groups; p = 0.60). 70.8 % of first-positives experiencing cognitive impairment at 12-months, were 15-to-17-years-old as were 33.3 % of reinfected CYP experiencing cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). Consistently at all time points post-testing, CYP experiencing cognitive impairment were more likely to score higher on all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales, higher on the Chalder Fatigue sub-scale for mental fatigue, lower on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and report more trouble sleeping. CONCLUSIONS: CYP have a fluctuating experience of cognitive impairment by 12-months post SARS-CoV-2-infection. Cognitive impairment is consistently correlated with poorer sleep, behavioural and emotional functioning over a 12-month period. Clinicians should be aware of cognitive impairment post-infection and its co-occurring nature with poorer sleep, behavioural and mental health symptoms.

Post-Covid-19 condition (Long Covid) in children and young people 12 months after infection or reinfection with the Omicron variant: a prospective observational study.

Our previous study in children and young people (CYP) at 3- and 6-months post-infection showed that 12-16% of those infected with the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 met the research definition of Long Covid, with no differences between first-positive and reinfected CYP. The primary objective of the current study is to explore the impact of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 infection on young people 12 months post infection. 345 CYP aged 11-17 years with a first laboratory-confirmed infection with the Omicron variant and 360 CYP reinfected with the Omicron variant completed an online questionnaire assessing demographics, symptoms, and their impact shortly after testing and again at 3-, 6-and 12-months post-testing. Vaccination status was determined from information held at UKHSA. Comparisons between groups were made using chi-squared, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The most common symptoms in first-positive and reinfected CYP 12-months post-testing were tiredness (35.7 and 33.6% respectively) and sleeping difficulties (27.5 and 28.3% respectively). Symptom profiles, severity and impact were similar in the two infection status groups. Overall, by 12-months, 17.4% of first-positives and 21.9% of reinfected CYP fulfilled the research consensus Long Covid definition (p = 0.13). 12-months post Omicron infection, there is little difference between first-positive and reinfected CYP with respect to symptom profiles and impact. Clinicians may not therefore need to consider number of infections and type of variant when developing treatment plans. Further studies are needed to assess causality of reported symptoms up to 12-months after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Clinical effectiveness of the psychological therapy Mental Health Intervention for Children with Epilepsy in addition to usual care compared with assessment-enhanced usual care alone: a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial in the UK.

BACKGROUND: Mental health difficulties are common in children and young people with chronic health conditions, but many of those in need do not access evidence-based psychological treatments. The study aim was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of integrated mental health treatment for children and young people with epilepsy, a common chronic health condition known to be associated with a particularly high rate of co-occurring mental health difficulties. METHODS: We conducted a parallel group, multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial of participants aged 3-18 years, attending epilepsy clinics across England and Northern Ireland who met diagnostic criteria for a common mental health disorder. Participants were randomised (1:1; using an independent web-based system) to receive the Mental Health Intervention for Children with Epilepsy (MICE) in addition to usual care, or assessment-enhanced usual care alone (control). Children and young people in both groups received a full diagnostic mental health assessment. MICE was a modular psychological intervention designed to treat common mental health conditions in children and young people using evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behaviour therapy and behavioural parenting strategies. Usual care for mental health disorders varied by site but typically included referral to appropriate services. Participants, along with their caregivers, and clinicians were not masked to treatment allocation but statisticians were masked until the point of analysis. The primary outcome, analysed by modified intention-to-treat, was the parent-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 6 months post-randomisation. The study is complete and registered with ISRCTN (57823197). FINDINGS: 1401 young people were potentially deemed eligible for study inclusion. Following the exclusion of 531 young people, 870 participants were assessed for eligibility and completed the SDQ, and 480 caregivers provided consent for study inclusion between May 20, 2019, and Jan 31, 2022. Between Aug 28, 2019, and Feb 21, 2022, 334 participants (mean ages 10·5 years [SD 3·6] in the MICE group vs 10·3 [4·0] in control group at baseline) were randomly assigned to an intervention using minimisation balanced by age, primary mental health disorder, diagnosis of intellectual disability, and autistic spectrum disorder at baseline. 168 (50%) of the participants were female and 166 (50%) were male. 166 participants were randomly assigned to the MICE group and 168 were randomly assigned to the control group. At 6 months, the mean SDQ difficulties for the 148 participants in the MICE group was 17·6 (SD 6·3) and 19·6 (6·1) for the 148 participants in the control group. The adjusted effect of MICE was -1·7 (95% CI -2·8 to -0·5; p=0·0040; Cohen's d, 0·3). 14 (8%) patients in the MICE group experienced at least one serious adverse event compared with 24 (14%) in the control group. 68% percent of serious adverse events (50 events) were admission due to seizures. INTERPRETATION: MICE was superior to assessment-enhanced usual care in improving symptoms of emotional and behavioural difficulties in young people with epilepsy and common mental health disorders. The trial therefore shows that mental health comorbidities can be effectively and safely treated by a variety of clinicians, utilising an integrated intervention across ages and in the context of intellectual disability and autism. The evidence from this trial suggests that such a model should be fully embedded in epilepsy services and serves as a model for other chronic health conditions in young people. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and Epilepsy Research UK Endeavour Project Grant.

Loneliness Trajectories, Associated Factors and Subsequent Health in Children and Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Matched Cohort Study.

Purpose: Loneliness is common amongst children and young people (CYP) and is an independent risk factor for poor health. This study aimed to i) determine whether subgroups of CYP with different loneliness trajectories (during the second year of the pandemic) exist; ii) examine associations with socio-demographic characteristics and subsequent health; and iii) understand whether associations between loneliness and subsequent health were modified by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: A total of 5851 CYP (N=3260 SARS-CoV-2 positive and 2591 SARS-CoV-2 negative) provided data on loneliness (via the validated 3-item version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale for Children) at least twice in a 12-month period post PCR index-testing (conducted October 2020-March 2021). Latent class growth analyses were used to identify distinct classes of loneliness trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify socio-demographic characteristics associated with class membership. Logistic regression models assessed the odds of reporting impairing symptoms 12-months post index-test. Results: Four distinct loneliness trajectories were identified: three mostly stable (low, medium, high) and one low-increasing trajectory. Being older, female, living in more deprived areas and testing negative were associated with greater odds of being in the highest vs lowest loneliness trajectory; eg OR for female vs male: 5.6 (95% CI:4.1,7.8); OR for 15-17 vs 11-14 years: 4.5 (95% CI:3.4,6.0). Following higher loneliness trajectories was associated with higher odds of experiencing impairing symptoms 12-months post index-test: ORadjusted (compared to lowest loneliness trajectory) were 15.9 (95% CI:11.9,21.3) (high loneliness), 6.5 (5.3,7.9) (medium loneliness) and 2.3 (1.9,2.8) (low-increasing loneliness). There was no evidence that this association was modified by PCR index-test result. Conclusion: About 5.3% of CYP were classified into a group experiencing (chronically) high loneliness. Being female, older and from more deprived areas were risk factors of belonging to this group. Results suggest that even small increases from low loneliness levels may be associated with worse health outcomes.

Symptom Profiles of Children and Young People 12 Months after SARS-CoV-2 Testing: A National Matched Cohort Study (The CLoCk Study).

BACKGROUND: Although 99% of children and young people have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the long-term prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms in young people is unclear. The aim of this study is to describe symptom profiles 12 months after SARS-CoV-2 testing. METHOD: A matched cohort study of a national sample of 20,202 children and young people who took a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test between September 2020 and March 2021. RESULTS: 12 months post-index-test, there was a difference in the number of symptoms reported by initial negatives who never tested positive (NN) compared to the other three groups who had at least one positive test (p < 0.001). Similarly, 10.2% of the NN group described five-plus symptoms at 12 months compared to 15.9-24.0% in the other three groups who had at least one positive test. The most common symptoms were tiredness, sleeping difficulties, shortness of breath, and headaches for all four groups. For all these symptoms, the initial test positives with subsequent reports of re-infection had higher prevalences than other positive groups (p < 0.001). Symptom profiles, mental health, well-being, fatigue, and quality of life did not vary by vaccination status. CONCLUSIONS: Following the pandemic, many young people, particularly those that have had multiple SARS-CoV-2 positive tests, experience a range of symptoms that warrant consideration and potential investigation and intervention.

Long COVID in Children and Young after Infection or Reinfection with the Omicron Variant: A Prospective Observational Study.

To describe the prevalence of long COVID in children infected for the first time (n = 332) or reinfected (n = 243) with Omicron compared with test-negative children (n = 311). Overall, 12%-16% of those infected with Omicron met the research definition of long COVID at 3 and 6 months after infection, with no evidence of difference between cases of first positive and reinfected (Pχ2 = 0.17).

Efficient Sufficiency: A qualitative evaluation of a 1 year pilot study of young people and parents accessing a mental health drop-in centre in a paediatric hospital.

BACKGROUND: Children and young people with long-term physical health conditions (LTC) are known to have higher levels of co-morbid mental health problems than medically healthy children. Evidence-based treatments for mental health problems are effective in children who also have an LTC. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with participants' perceived acceptability and impact of a transdiagnostic mental health centre offering brief psychological assessment and treatment for children and young people and/or their families with mental health needs in the context of long term physical conditions. METHODS: One-hundred twenty-eight patients attending the drop-in centre were invited to participate. Overall, 35 participated (31 parents/carers; 4 children and young people) in semi-structured interviews (either in person or by phone) exploring their experience of the centre. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and checked. Framework analysis was then conducted on all transcripts. RESULTS: Overall, participants found the drop-in centre highly acceptable and reported a positive experience. Reasons for this varied but broadly focused around four themes: (1) efficient sufficiency; (2) autonomy; (3) fusion of process and content factors and (4) (dis)parities of esteems and 'seeing both sides of the coin'. CONCLUSIONS: Participants found the intervention acceptable. A mental health drop-in centre in a paediatric hospital appears to be a positive and valued adjunct to supplement existing mental health services.

Feasibility of telephone-delivered therapy for common mental health difficulties embedded in pediatric epilepsy clinics.

BACKGROUND: Mental and physical health treatment should be delivered together for children and young people with epilepsy. Training healthcare professionals (HCPs) in epilepsy services to deliver mental health interventions is an important way to facilitate integrated care. OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of remotely delivered assessment and psychological treatment for mental health difficulties delivered by HCPs in pediatric epilepsy clinics with limited formal training in psychological interventions. We hypothesized that it would be (i) feasible to train HCPs to deliver the psychological intervention and (ii) that participants receiving the psychological therapy would report reductions in symptoms of mental health difficulties including anxiety, depression, and behavior difficulties and improve quality of life. METHODS: Thirty-four children and young people with epilepsy who had impairing symptoms of a common mental health difficulty (anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior, and/or trauma) were allocated to receive 6 months of a modular cognitive behavioral intervention delivered by a HCP with limited formal psychological therapy experience. Thirteen HCPs were trained in delivery of the intervention. Healthcare professional competence was assessed in a two-stage process. Parent-reported measures of mental health symptoms and quality of life were completed at baseline and following the intervention. Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in symptoms over time. RESULTS: All thirteen HCPs who participated in the training were considered competent in therapeutic delivery by the end of the training period. Twenty-three patients completed pre- and post-intervention measures and were included in the analysis. There were statistically significant improvements in: symptoms of mental health problems (p = 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.62), total impact of mental health problems (p = 0.03; Cohen's d = 0.52), anxiety and depression symptoms (p = 0.02; Cohen's d = 0.57) and quality of life (p = 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.57). CONCLUSION: A modular cognitive behavioral treatment delivered over the telephone by HCPs with limited experience of psychological therapy was feasible and effective in treating mental health problems in children and young people with epilepsy. Health-related Quality of Life also improved over the duration of treatment. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is needed to demonstrate efficacy of the intervention.

Evaluation of a mental health drop-in centre offering brief transdiagnostic psychological assessment and treatment for children and adolescents with long-term physical conditions and their families: a single-arm, open, non-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Children and young people with long-term physical conditions have significantly elevated mental health needs. Transdiagnostic, brief psychological interventions have the potential to increase access to evidence-based psychological treatments for patients who attend health services primarily for physical health needs. OBJECTIVE: A non-randomised study was conducted to assess the impact of brief, transdiagnostic psychological interventions in children and young people presenting at a drop-in mental health centre in the reception area of a paediatric hospital. METHODS: 186 participants attending a transdiagnostic mental health drop-in centre were allocated to assessment and psychological intervention based on a clinical decision-making algorithm. Interventions included signposting, guided self-help based on a modular psychological treatment and referral to the hospital's paediatric psychology service. The primary transdiagnostic mental health outcome measure was the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which was given at baseline and 6 months post-baseline. FINDINGS: There was a significant positive impact of attending the drop-in mental health centre on the SDQ (Cohen's d=0.22) and on the secondary outcome measure of Paediatric Quality of life (Cohen's d=0.55). CONCLUSIONS: A mental health drop-in centre offering brief, transdiagnostic assessment and treatment may reduce emotional and behavioural symptoms and improve quality of life in children and young people with mental health needs in the context of long-term physical conditions. A randomised controlled trial to investigate the specificity of any effects is warranted. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Drop-in centres for mental health needs may increase access and have beneficial effects for children and young people with physical conditions.