Long Covid Is Real – and It's Changing a Generation
2 days ago
- #Public Health
- #Education
- #Long Covid
- Long Covid is a real and debilitating condition affecting millions, including children, with symptoms like extreme fatigue, brain fog, and persistent vomiting.
- Children with Long Covid face significant challenges in school, including difficulties in obtaining necessary accommodations and skepticism from educators and medical professionals.
- Federal support and research funding for Long Covid have been reduced, impacting access to diagnostic tests, treatments, and special education services.
- Families report struggles with schools not recognizing Long Covid as a legitimate condition, leading to inadequate accommodations and threats of truancy.
- The number of children requiring special education services has increased post-pandemic, yet many with Long Covid are still denied necessary support.
- Long Covid clinics for children are scarce, leading to long waitlists and many kids going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
- Chronic absenteeism in schools has nearly doubled since the pandemic, with Long Covid contributing to this trend, yet schools often lack policies to address medical absences related to the condition.
- Political and budgetary decisions are further jeopardizing support for children with Long Covid, including potential cuts to Medicaid and special education funding.
- Parents and children describe the emotional and social toll of Long Covid, including isolation, loss of friendships, and diminished hope for the future.
- Despite the challenges, some children with Long Covid are finding ways to move forward, such as through virtual education or specialized treatments, though the long-term impacts remain uncertain.