Children could be collateral damage in COVID19 control

[Kokeshi123]

www.hsj.co.uk/acute-care/exclusive-children-may-be-covid-19-collateral-damage/7027315.article

"Children may have died from non-coronavirus illnesses because they are not coming to hospital quickly enough, amid concerns NHS 111 may be giving flawed advice to stay away, according to senior pediatricians."

There are also concerns that kids will wind up with spotty vaccination records which end up not being made up for later on. In terms of risk to kids themselves, I'm actually more concerned about future outbreaks of measles and diphtheria than about CV itself, I have to say.

I'm also concerned about the impact on little children's immune systems and eyesight development if lockdowns and other restrictions (esp being completely kept away from other children) are allowed to persist for months rather than weeks. The world's foremost leukemia expert has been pretty adamant that children should ideally be exposed to lots of other children and normal germs in their environments, because raising babies in an immunological bubble raises the risk of their developing autoimmune conditions later on.

As we try to decide how long the lockdown should persist, these factors need to be taken into account IMO.

I agree with all of this, but expect to be shot down.

Could lockdown have the effect of stopping the spread of some childhood illnesses like CP, impetigo, Scarlet Fever, headline, worms etc?

Worms.

Nits.

Very happy to have a good stretch free of those little bastards to be quite honest...

Yes I have been thinking this also.

I don't think so, because such diseases would have to stop spreading everywhere in the world in order to be eradicated. Lockdown in any meaningful sense is impossible across most of the world because parents either go out to work or the family starves, and the children are out playing in groups if they are not in school.

It did occur to me that it would be a good time to put a national de-nitting campaign on...

But yes I worry about the impact of this going on for an extended period on kids a great deal. Not that there's much that can be done to prevent it.

Or do you mean, stopping them temporarily rather than eradicating them for ever?

Don't know about that, but key workers' kids are in school in any case. I guess there are enough kids to keep head lice going!

(Frankly, if we don't like chickenpox, vaccinating against it is pretty easy in any case)

Beating, raping, emotional abuse, starvation.

Plenty of kids are currently enduring a total horror show without even the respite of school
and daytime outdoors and away from the house.

Women and children are being thrown right under the bus.

I agree and this is also something that I should have mentioned in the first post.

Lots of "borderline" family situations are going to be gently tipped right over the edge by this.

Yeah it’s a concern. We missed DS’s MMR as we were having to self isolate due to symptoms. Can’t arrange another appointment for the foreseeable.

I agree with you, a few weeks is once thing but keeping children trapped indoors and away from friends and family can't be a medium or long term solution. Very damaging for eyesight, mental health, developing social and play skills, development of their entire little selves really.

And I know someone will come along to say 'better than growing up without their parents STAY THE FUCK AT HOME' etc which is a valid point, but we need to start planning for beyond the peak. A balance must be struck at some point.

www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/uk-coronavirus-guidance-could-cause-spike-child-deaths-doctors-warn/

"there is also a longer-term worry about the effect of the lockdown on the UK’s child vaccination programme. GP surgeries have effectively stopped doing routine infant vaccination – and families have yet to be offered advice as to when this will restart."

Is this true??? I was given to understand that routine vaccinations for children were going ahead as usual. Or are they going ahead but at different locations? If there is confusion, I can see how people may fall between the cracks and then forget to catch up later if they are dealing with the economic fallout of the recession and home life has become stressful.

We have been told that we can’t rebook DS’s MMR for a while.

@DressingGownofDoom we are planning for beyond the peak but what we do will be informed by science and data, which is not yet sufficient to provide a best course of action

Agree. Children are trapped in abusive homes, others are about to experience a childhood blighted by family poverty following job loss and recession, their education has been blighted (and they're not all in the same boat here, as disadvantaged children fall further behind while private schools continue full teaching slates and private tutors do zoom sessions). Children who previously would have waited a shocking 18 months for camhs help will now wait what, 2 years or more?
And then they'll grow up to shoulder the burden of this immense debt.

Meanwhile, the median age of people dying with coronavirus is 80, according to WHO stats - near or above life expectancy in the regions most affected so far.

We need a lockdown to save lives and the NHS, but not for long and not at any cost.

And I know someone will come along to say 'better than growing up without their parents STAY THE FUCK AT HOME' etc which is a valid point, but [...]

I think in a perfect world it would be better than growing up without their parents. My children have a safe and loving home environment (though like everyone I have my moments!) so it's hard to imagine that many children don't get to enjoy this. However, I know that it's true and we need to protect those children from their home situations just as much as from this virus.

But without any form of lockdown those children who get meningitis, appendicitis, or have a household accident will die.

Without lockdown our peak becomes completely unmanageable. There won't be any doctors/beds available for any child that falls ill.

Children who will lose their parents will be greatly disadvantaged, not sure why we can't say that.

Exercise can be done at home, no matter how small the home. Everyone had a window they can open at least and we can buy vitamin d drops for kids. Those on income support get vouchers for children's vitamins so should be covered there, if not the government should roll out some sort if scheme for them (if outdoor exercise is banned).

It is deeply unpleasant, but must be done.

I agree. But a child having a parent dying is worse, much worse.

My grandmother's own mother died when she was 9. It affected her her whole life. I think it is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. And I am sure none of us want that to happen to our children.

@Kokeshi123 both my children had routine vaccinations 2 weeks ago, a friend 3 miles away was told her baby couldn’t have theirs. It seems individual surgeries were able to decide.

It is deeply unpleasant, but must be done

Not a huge comfort to children who are now spending longer at home with their rapists and abusers.

I agree. But a child having a parent dying is worse, much worse

In parts of Italy they have now shut down all chemotherapy. Here there is not treatment for less urgent cases, or for most mental health issues. There are parents dying regardless.

Not a huge comfort to children who are now spending longer at home with their rapists and abusers.

Which is awful, but using emotional blackmail to make a point say what you want it to is a bit sickening tbh.

Those poor children would have been facing that every day anyway, even when we were all happily going about our own lives. I give all I can to children's charities, support my own dc on learning about safeguarding and would report any suspicions I had to the police. Short of becoming a social worker what else can any of us do?

Using them ro make a point just because you can't stand the idea of having to stay indoors for a bit is pretty low. But people are using all sorts of emotional blackmail to try to explain away why they are special and shouldn't have to give up anything to protect the vulnerable, so carry on.

Not a huge comfort to children who are now spending longer at home with their rapists and abusers.

I think that's widely acknowledged but there's little anyone can do right now.

Maybe Childline should increase their advertising on websites and social media frequented by children. I'd donate to a fundraising page for that.