REACT-Children and Young People (CYP) Study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  REACT-Children and Young People (CYP) Study: Characterise and quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cognitive function and health-related quality of life in children and young people

• IRAS ID

  314392

• Contact name

  Christina Atchison

• Contact email

  christina.atchison11@imperial.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Imperial College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  The psychological and social impacts of ongoing symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the effects of the pandemic, if sustained over a prolonged period, could have major consequences for development in childhood and the transition to adulthood. Therefore, there is a need, through longitudinal studies, to explore the mental health trajectory alongside physical symptoms and cognitive function in children, particularly given the rise in mental health problems since the start of the pandemic. Better understanding of which children are affected will help with targeting potential interventions and remediations.

  Our hypothesis is that SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged 5-17 years can lead to persistent physical and mental health problems, and cognitive deficits which is likely to depend on disease severity and demographic, social and environmental determinants.

  In this study we will follow 12,000 children aged 5-17 years (~2,000 testing positive for virus or antibody in the REACT programme and at least 10,000 testing negative), via regular questionnaires, online cognitive assessments and health record linkage, in a prospective longitudinal study and case-cohort design.

  This will provide a longitudinal assessment of the long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2
  infection and Long COVID.

  The key outcomes will be:
  1. Symptoms and prevalence for Long COVID in children aged 5-17 years
  2. Demographic, social and environmental predictors of Long COVID in children aged 5-17 years
  3. Excess risk of physical and mental health and cognitive deficits in SARS-CoV-2 test positives (across the range of clinical presentations) vs. test negative children aged 5-17 years

• REC name

  South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  22/SC/0196

• Date of REC Opinion

  7 Jun 2022

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion