VIRGINIA, USA — Doctors are issuing a new warning about the long-term impacts respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu may have on children.
Even though kids are known to be resilient when recovering from illnesses, a recent study shows that there are potential prolonged and widespread impacts of COVID-19 on children.
A National Institutes of Health study found that children may experience health issues, even long after initially recovering from the virus. Long COVID occurs in 10% to 20% of COVID cases, affecting almost six million kids across the country.
Some of the symptoms may include insomnia, brain fog, depression, and fatigue, even long after their initial diagnosis.
One of the most concerning effects of long COVID is multi-inflammatory syndrome in children, otherwise known as MIS-C. Affected children can suffer fever, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and could even develop heart complications.
Complications can also follow flu infections. According to Dr. John Harrington with the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, many children have suffered from pneumonia this season after contracting the flu.
Doctors say a good way to protect families from these negative long term effects is to get vaccinated. Even though it may not prevent sickness, it will help prevent severe cases and even hospitalization.
