In response to this afternoons newsbite around Vaccinating Children 12-15 not being likely I would like to have my say.
My 10 year old is currently still suffering immune system problems thought to be Long Covid by the hospital 16 months after first falling ill. The elephant in the room here on the question of Vaccinating Children is Long Covid in Children.
Regardless of the risks and balances over serious illness, hospitalisation and death in children the one area that is bring ignored, largely because there are no figures to quantify it is Long Covid in Children.
ONS data from children who have a positive result says 7-8% of children (dependent on age category) will experience symptoms after 12 weeks. There are no figures on children like my daughter where Covid was not initially considered a factor but then over time the overwhelming evidence results in doctors concluding it is Covid related. There are no figures for children whose symptoms have not yet even been identified by the medical community as probable Long Covid and whose GPs are baffled by odd but ongoing complaints from concerned parents, either with it without a positive Covid result. The medical community simply do not have a handle on this yet (as they are busy learning about it) and as a result Long Covid in children, it's longevity and health implications for children are unknown. There are thousands of children out there already suffering and not being counted. What parents like myself realise is that this virus can cause Long Term and ongoing problems necessitating A&E visits, Paediatric visits, referrals to Dermatology, Neurology, Rheumatology, Immunology, Gastro, Respiratory, Physiotherapy services in the already pressured NHS. GPs and Parents are very concerned as they know there is little understanding of how this virus affects children, no established treatments, no prognosis and yet this issue is not considered part of the decision making process into whether to vaccinate children. It is my view that until we know these thousands of children (ONS data) suffering Long Covid are not at risk of permanent health problems, vaccination in children really should remain a priority for discussion on the table at every meeting in political and medical and journalistic circles. The argument is not a balanced one without this viewpoint and I would dearly like to see this represented by the BBC and all media outlets with urgency. Regards Selina
Selina is a parent of a child in our Long Covid Kids Support Group.
LongCovidKids.org is a UK-based, international patient-led advocacy and support group for families and guardians of children with #LongCovid .Our groups story started with a short film on long-lasting symptoms of Covid in children and we now support research and advocate for preventative measures in schools. We are working on The Long Covid Kids Study with PeopleWith
Sammie Mcfarland is the Founder of Long Covid Kids. She has a special interest in reducing the impact of chronic long-term health on children.
Frances Simpson is the Co Founder of Long Covid Kids. She is lecturer in Psychology and Counselling at Coventry University (SC.) Fran has a special interest in the neurological impact of COVID infection on children.
Both founders have Long Covid, and have children ill with Long Covid since March 2020.
If your child experiences any symptoms that indicates they are unwell, it COULD be COVID-19, and you should get them a test to help identify if it is a current Covid infection. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.