Between day care closures and social distancing measures, children’s lives have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. But if there is a silver lining for parents during this health crisis, it is that children seem to be less susceptible to the most dangerous effects of the virus.
“Children can certainly develop COVID-19, but many experience milder symptoms than adults,” says Bela Patel, MD.
While children may not get as sick, they can still spread the virus to adults or other children, particularly those with underlying health conditions. In rare cases, some children may also develop a serious side effect called multisystem inflammatory syndrome, which can lead to life-threatening complications.
“As part of the ongoing efforts at UTHealth to keep the children and adults in our communities healthy during this crisis, we established the UTHealth COVID-19 Center of Excellence,” Patel says. “Bringing together researchers from across our six schools, the center aims to provide the best clinical care, discovery science, and public health knowledge to light the path forward through the pandemic.”
“Our goal at the COVID-19 Center of Excellence is to confront the ongoing pandemic from all angles,” Patel says. “From optimizing treatments to conducting clinical trials, our experts are dedicated to saving lives and reducing long-term damage from the virus.”
For some children and adults, COVID-19 can have lasting health consequences that affect the heart, lungs, and other parts of the body. The center’s Post-COVID Adult and Pediatric Care Clinic at UT Physicians, the clinical practice of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, provides comprehensive, leading-edge aftercare to patients of all ages.
To learn more about the UTHealth COVID-19 Center of Excellence and how you can make a difference, please visit: uth.edu/COVID-19