Read on Twitter(Caveat: I rarely encounter someone who is doing OK these days)
I am worried more than ever for kids.
In-between the ICU death tolls are alarm bells from pediatric/community providers, teachers, parents.
Kids do not seem to be OK
1/ https://twitter.com/calphonso/status/1389537541859299329">https://twitter.com/calphonso...
Kids have been on the #CoronaCoaster for as long as adults.
They have faced extended restrictions, disrupted access to clinical and social services, education instability, physical/sexual abuse and neglect, grief and guilt related to lost/sick/isolated family.
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They have faced extended restrictions, disrupted access to clinical and social services, education instability, physical/sexual abuse and neglect, grief and guilt related to lost/sick/isolated family.
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Some are shutting down (quiet, screens off, not checking into class).
Some are expressing their distress in words, drawings + actions: restricted food intake, self-harm, selective mutism, cyberbullying, unmasked gatherings, suicidal ideation/attempts
https://twitter.com/NishaOttawa/status/1353080261211279360?s=20
3/">https://twitter.com/NishaOtta...
Some are expressing their distress in words, drawings + actions: restricted food intake, self-harm, selective mutism, cyberbullying, unmasked gatherings, suicidal ideation/attempts
https://twitter.com/NishaOttawa/status/1353080261211279360?s=20
3/">https://twitter.com/NishaOtta...
Now may not be the time for change, esp in communities facing the most disruptive phase of this pandemic.
In-person learning may have to take a back seat to crushing local curves, caring for self and family, and coping with work-related expectations
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In-person learning may have to take a back seat to crushing local curves, caring for self and family, and coping with work-related expectations
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But here& #39;s what’s clear: OUR RECOVERY PLAN HAS TO PRIORITIZE KIDS AND YOUTH.
We’ve relied on their resilience to get through this year despite less than perfect parenting.
(Mine continue to forgive my absences/mental lapses, but they’re tapped out too)
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We’ve relied on their resilience to get through this year despite less than perfect parenting.
(Mine continue to forgive my absences/mental lapses, but they’re tapped out too)
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Now, kids’ mental health is not my area of expertise.
As a peds ID physician, I follow kids with COVID, MIS-C, #longCOVID. I& #39;ve shared IPAC insights with hospital programs, PH, schools and even LTCs.
And I love to talk about (new/future) vaccines with families. Seriously
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As a peds ID physician, I follow kids with COVID, MIS-C, #longCOVID. I& #39;ve shared IPAC insights with hospital programs, PH, schools and even LTCs.
And I love to talk about (new/future) vaccines with families. Seriously
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But what I hear: rising MH issues in kids, not enough capacity in community/hospitals*
*data forthcoming for skeptics/decision-makers
And there’s no cookie-cutter biomedical approach that universally addresses needs of youth in indigenous, racialized, rural/urban communities.
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*data forthcoming for skeptics/decision-makers
And there’s no cookie-cutter biomedical approach that universally addresses needs of youth in indigenous, racialized, rural/urban communities.
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When/how will their needs be prioritized?
They& #39;ve faced relentless scrutiny around school: symptoms, screening and testing compliance, and confusion about isolation guidance (siblings go to school? Is school “essential”?)
They& #39;ve borne all this to protect adults around them
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They& #39;ve faced relentless scrutiny around school: symptoms, screening and testing compliance, and confusion about isolation guidance (siblings go to school? Is school “essential”?)
They& #39;ve borne all this to protect adults around them
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I supported calls for rigorous testing so we could evaluate school safety measures, and expected advocacy for this in other workplaces
Crickets
[I& #39;m not aware of a “no mask, no talk” policy in workplaces as seen in schools, despite numerous outbreaks linked to break rooms]
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Crickets
[I& #39;m not aware of a “no mask, no talk” policy in workplaces as seen in schools, despite numerous outbreaks linked to break rooms]
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Now may not be the time for change. Many of us are facing the darkest point of this pandemic with intense vulnerability.
In-person learning will have to take a back seat to crushing the local curves, caring for self and coping with illness, grief and work expectations.
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In-person learning will have to take a back seat to crushing the local curves, caring for self and coping with illness, grief and work expectations.
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In our horizon: vaccines for all adults, and Pfizer for kids 12+
We& #39;ll need vaccine access + culturally-sensitive comms to support providers, parents, youth
We& #39;ll have to discuss:
- benefits in
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Pfeil nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach unten">morbidity, mortality, transmission with/without sx
- potential safety signals
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We& #39;ll need vaccine access + culturally-sensitive comms to support providers, parents, youth
We& #39;ll have to discuss:
- benefits in
- potential safety signals
11/
The road to a new normal starts with breaking chains of transmission + vaccination. We are finally here, at great personal/societal cost.
Kids have taken extraordinary actions to keep adults safe.
It& #39;s our turn to rebuild their resilience and help recover their losses
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Kids have taken extraordinary actions to keep adults safe.
It& #39;s our turn to rebuild their resilience and help recover their losses
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