Should Children Return To School In January? Teenage dreams shattered by COVID-19

"There is a hint that it has a higher propensity to infect children," said Neil Ferguson, a professor and infectious disease epidemiologist at Imperial College London and also a member of NERVTAG.

The new Covid variants are concerning for all parents. For parents nursing children already with Long Covid, the news is perhaps more alarming. They know exactly what COVID-19 can do to a baby, child or teenager.

Unsurprisingly parents are extremely concerned about returning to school in January, and are discussing Home Education, which has already seen a 38% rise in the UK this year.

Members of the Long Covid Kids Support group send us their stories to share to raise awareness in the hope parents will make informed decisions when it comes to going back to school after Christmas.

Our group welcomes parents of all nationalities. We are stronger together.

One American family share their story.

"Alyssa was a happy 15 yr old in 2019.

Well traveled, cologuard champ, and outdoors all the time.

She had the odd not cold, in her sophomore year, but seemed okay.

One of these cold we passed to my parents who coughed 2months afterwards in October.

By April she had migraines and a bit of a cold.... we got her tested for COVID-19 and she tested negative.

May 4th she was hospitalised unable to keep food or drink down and ... started having pseudo seizures... and extreme fatigue.

The hospital sent her home 20 days later on an Nasogastric intubation tube.

What happened next was unbelievable. Our daughter developed;

• Motor ticks

• Abnormal muscle movements

• Pseudo seizures

• Loud noises and bright lights overwhelm her senses

• Inability to maintain a normal gate to walk

Alyssa has had extensive Physical Therapy. Even now she can barely go to her room or bathroom without assistance.

It became very apparent that our bright, active daughter had become cognitively impaired by an virus that has left her unable to do basic high school work.

• In 10th grade she was an AB student in above High School level classes.

• In 11th she barely passed High School level art history.

• She failed her science.

We moved home so our daughter could do more outdoor activities, become a cna over the summer and go into nursing school early.

Those dreams are now shattered.

She often doesn't know where she is, if we see pretty mountains she she asks if she is in Switzerland again.

At medical visits she claims she in Texas even though we are not.

We now believe she had COVID-19 in October"

Children need an education for their future, but they need a healthy future more. Governments around the world need to start listening to the science and start prioritising health.

Our children deserve better.

LongCovidKids.org is a parent and patient-led campaign & support group for parents of children with Long Covid. Our story started with a short film on long-lasting symptoms of Covid in children & we are working on The Long Covid Kids Study with PeopleWith Please donate to help us keep raising awareness, we are run by volunteers, your support enables us to run the website and campaign for change.