The coronavirus can affect children differently than adults, but doctors said they see a trend among children recovering.
They are dealing with incredible fatigue that can last for months after a child gets better.
Euless’s 13-year-old Savannah Pressley became ill with COVID-19 in March after a trip to Europe.
Her mother Nola said the whole family came with the disease, which lasted about three weeks.
Everyone came back, but Nola said that Savannah is still very extremely tired and needed rest after small activities such as a walk nearby.
“It’s been three months since the COVID left and it’s still affecting her life,” said Nola Pressley.
They said doctors believe they are dealing with post-viral fatigue, a common condition that can occur after viral infections.
Dr. Nicolas Rister of infectious disease of children did not treat Savannah, but said experts questioned whether they would see an increase in cases of chronic fatigue syndrome or post-viral fatigue.
“Certainly now that COVID is running our territory, running the nation, running the world, we were wondering if we would see more cases of this,” Rister said.
Rister said post-viral fatigue can feel like a concussion and can also cause headaches or nausea.
It can take weeks or months and can take a huge toll on children.
“Many times these affected children are very active in school, in clubs, in sports. They are used to training, using their bodies and minds as well, so if they are disturbed for a few weeks, it is very noticeable. and it can take many weeks to get back to normal, “Rister said.
He said most children eventually return to normal.
Since Savannah’s blood work shows she’s healthy, according to Nola, all she can do is wait.
In the meantime, she has an important message for others.
“It affects children and it can affect their lives, even after the symptoms are gone,” Nola said.
Doctors say that healthy eating, exercise and multi-vitamins can sometimes help children recover from post-viral fatigue.
How to prevent COVID-19 infection:
The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to prevent exposure to this virus, which are similar to the precautions you take to prevent the flu. The CDC always recommends these daily actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- Do not forget to touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
* Information shared from the Texas Gov. office. Greg Abbott
* Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not intended to indicate where truly infected people live.
** County totals below include all 32 counties in North Texas, not just Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.
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