FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Parkview Health has opened a new pediatric clinic for children who are dealing with lingering chronic COVID-19 symptoms well after normal cases come to an end.
According to a press release, the Pediatric Post-COVID Long Hauler Clinic was created to provide specialized support and is the first post-COVID clinic in the region to specialize in caring for children.
“We found that children with post-COVID symptoms were often needing to see multiple pediatric subspecialists. By opening a long-hauler clinic, we can better coordinate their care,” said Robyn Schmucker, MD, Parkview Physicians Group – Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “Initial testing is completed in the first visit, allowing us to create an individualized treatment plan. Even with effective treatment, it can take months for symptoms to resolve, so we like to assess patients as soon as possible.”
The most common symptoms for “long” COVID-19 infections in kids include headache, fatigue, brain fog and abdominal pain. Many children also show symptoms of depression due to the impact their symptoms have had on their academic, athletic and social lives.
The new clinic, located on the Parkview Health main campus in Fort Wayne, opened in December and is already seeing patients via referral. Parkview opened a post-COVID clinic for adults last March.
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