Medical outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental disorders after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A six-month follow-up study

Liang-Jen Wang; Ching-Shu Tsai; Wen-Jiun Chou; Chia-Jung Li; Sheng-Yu Lee; Yi-Chun Chen; I-Chun Lin

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.067

Medical outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental disorders after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A six-month follow-up study

Vaccine. 2023 Jun 29;41(29):4267-4273. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.067. Epub 2023 May 29.

Authors

Liang-Jen Wang¹, Ching-Shu Tsai¹, Wen-Jiun Chou¹, Chia-Jung Li¹, Sheng-Yu Lee², Yi-Chun Chen³, I-Chun Lin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.
² Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
³ Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁴ Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: uc22@cgmh.org.tw.

Abstract

Introduction: The BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccines have been approved for children and adolescents for protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection. This longitudinal study aimed to compare adverse outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism spectrum disorder [ASD], communication disorders, intellectual disability, and tic disorders) and healthy control children.

Methods: A total of 1335 children who received the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (762 children with ND and 573 healthy controls) were recruited. All subjects were followed-up for 180 days, and outcome events were defined as outpatient department (OPD) or emergency department (ER) visits during follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify the potential differences in outcomes between the propensity score-matched ND group (n = 311) and the control group (n = 311), and to explore the factors associated with outcomes among all children with ND (n = 762).

Results: Compared with the control group, children with ND exhibited a higher likelihood of subsequent OPD or ER visits and paediatric neurology OPD visits after the first dose of vaccination. However, we found that only a small proportion of the children visited the OPD or ER because of adverse vaccination-related effects. Among all children with ND, those with communication disorders showed a higher likelihood of any OPD or ER visit. Paediatric neurology OPD visits were associated with communication disorders, intellectual disability, and methylphenidate and aripiprazole prescriptions. ADHD and ASD were not associated with adverse outcomes.

Conclusions: No specific ND diagnosis or medication use clearly increased the risk of adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Children with ND can be reassured that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is a safe regimen to protect themselves.

Keywords: Children; Neurodevelopmental disorder; SARS-CoV-2; Safety; Vaccine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Autism Spectrum Disorder*
BNT162 Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Child
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Intellectual Disability*
Longitudinal Studies
Neurodevelopmental Disorders* / chemically induced
Neurodevelopmental Disorders* / epidemiology
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination / adverse effects

Substances

BNT162 Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines