Keywords
COVID-19 vaccines
Child
Adolescent
Drug-related side effects and adverse reactions
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze adverse events supposedly attributable to COVID-19 vaccination in children, with emphasis on the vaccine safety profile described in the scientific literature. Methods: This is an integrative literature review, descriptive in nature, conducted through searches in various databases. Original studies published between 2020 and 2025, available in full text, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, that addressed COVID-19 vaccination in the pediatric age group, focusing on vaccine safety and adverse events, were included. Selection was based on reading titles, abstracts, and full texts, and data extraction included authorship, year, country, design, study population, and main findings. Results: Sixteen studies, published between 2021 and 2024, were included, exclusively covering the pediatric population. The most frequently reported adverse events were mild and self-limiting, predominantly transient local and systemic manifestations. Serious adverse events were uncommon and identified mainly in post-marketing surveillance studies and large population cohorts. Final considerations: COVID-19 vaccination in children showed a favorable safety profile, with a low occurrence of serious adverse events. The methodological heterogeneity of the studies and the dependence on reporting systems constitute limitations of the analyzed evidence.
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