BACKGROUND: There are numerous studies on adult patients admitted for COVID-19 but there is paucity of local data in children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the clinical presentation and outcome of children admitted for COVID-19.

METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective review of medical records of patients 0 to 18 years old with COVID-19 admitted in Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC). Descriptive statistics summarized the clinical profile of the patients. Pearson's Chi-Square and Fischer's Exact Test were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: There were 100 confirmed COVID-19 pediatric patients admitted at PCMC from March 2020 to March 2021. Most were within the 0-4 years of age (52%). Fever (63%), respiratory symptoms (31%), and shock (28%) were the predominant clinical manifestations. Most (78%) had no exposure to symptomatic household contacts but all came from communities with known local transmission. Fourteen cases of hospital-acquired COVID-19 were also identified. Out of the 100 cases, 53 had critical COVID-19 on admission and 82 had co-morbidities, mostly neurologic, hematologic and infectious diseases. Seventy-four patients recovered and 26 patients died.

Fever (p-value=0.014) and shock (p-value=0.000), thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis (p=0.030) and electrolyte imbalances (p=0.045) were significantly associated with critical COVID-19. There was no significant association between the presence of co-morbid conditions on admission and clinical outcome. O2 support by facemask (p=0.001) or by mechanical ventilator (p=0.001), and inotropic support (p=0.000) were significantly associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION: Children admitted for COVID-19 infection generally recover but those with critical COVID-19 is highly associated with mortality.