Families dealing with children suffering from long-term effects of Covid-19 have expressed frustration over feeling overlooked, as if their struggles are invisible. Many kids have become severely disabled, confined to their beds, due to the lingering syndrome that the NHS has been slow to acknowledge.
According to parents, a significant number of healthcare professionals were advised not to diagnose children with Long Covid during the pandemic, leading to a lack of proper identification and support for thousands of affected youngsters. Long Covid Kids, a charity assisting more than 11,000 families, claims that NHS practitioners have dismissed and overlooked child cases, wrongly assuming that only adults are impacted.
One mother, Harbinder Dhaliwal, shared her distressing experience of having three children affected by Long Covid and highlighted the challenges they face daily. Her twins, Talvin and Tara, along with her 15-year-old daughter, have been grappling with the condition for three years, forcing Harbinder to leave her career to care for them full-time.
Similarly, Jana Touati revealed how her 15-year-old son, Samir, now relies on a wheelchair after contracting Long Covid when schools reopened without adequate precautions. The lack of recognition and support for children with Long Covid has left many families feeling abandoned by the healthcare system, schools, and social services.
Official data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that approximately 72,000 children and young individuals have reported Long Covid symptoms following a second Covid-19 infection. However, due to underdiagnosis, the exact number of children living with long-term disabilities remains unknown.
The ongoing Covid-19 Inquiry recently disclosed minutes from a crucial government meeting in 2020, where it was advised not to label children with Long Covid to prevent potential psychological harm. Families are calling for more awareness and support from healthcare providers, schools, and social services to address the challenges faced by children with Long Covid.
Despite some progress in research and treatment, many children continue to struggle with lasting symptoms of Long Covid. Advocates emphasize the need for better recognition, diagnosis, and care pathways to support the thousands of children living with the debilitating effects of the condition.