Chloe tested positive for Covid-19 in January 2020 along with several family members.
Her family share her story.
"At the time we believed that children aren't affected by Covid because that is what the government were saying, so we weren't overly concerned. She was properly ill for 11 days, but we managed at home with no need for medical help.
As the weeks went by Chloe did not improve like we had been told she would.
She complained of;
Dizziness
Exhaustion
Headaches
Tummy Aches
Leg Pain
Despite the NICE guidelines stating that referrals can be made from 4 weeks, we had to wait 12 weeks post Covid for her symptoms to be taken seriously.
While some of the symptoms disappeared over time she has been left with constant;
Dizziness /vertigo,
Nausea
Daily headaches
Fatigue.
Chloe has been unable to attend school due to the severity of her symptoms.
We are now almost 7 months into her Long Covid journey and referrals are slowly starting to come through. Chloe has been given exercises for dizziness & vertigo and has been advised to pace and rest, in the hope that when September comes round she might be well enough to return to school, at least part-time.
We are hoping for some diagnostic tests such as an MRI of her brain to find out what is causing her constant dizziness & vertigo. In fairness the NHS medical professionals we have seen so far have been supportive and understanding, they are still trying to understand the complexity of Long Covid in children and how to treat her. In our area, they have not had many children come through, but unfortunately, they are expecting many more to start filtering through now.
The waiting lists are long, the process takes time and the long term prognosis for a child with Long Covid is unknown.
A child should be able to play while on their school holidays, Sadly her vertigo has been so bad she has spent days unable to do much as her balance has been badly affected.
In her words, she 'feels like she has been hit by a bus'.
Artistically talented and a keen animator Chloe has been unable to do the things she loves most since she was infected with Covid - her life is on hold.
When asked last week by her physiotherapist what she wanted to achieve from the referral she said
"I just want you to help me feel well again". Chloe Age 11"
LongCovidKids.org is a patient-led advocacy and support organisation led by Sammie Mcfarland for families of children with Long Covid. Our story started with a short film on long-lasting symptoms of Covid in children.
We are supporting research with The Long Covid Kids Study with PeopleWith.
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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.