Coronavirus Causes Decrease In Pediatrician Visits
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - There's no doubt about it, we're all safer at home right now.
But sometimes you do need to venture out, especially to take your children to the doctor.
For many parents, earaches, tummy troubles, or a lingering cough in their little ones would usually warrant a quick trip to the pediatrician. But thanks to coronavirus fears, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that 70 to 80 percent of American kids are not seeing their doctors right now.
"It's very scary that we're missing chances to evaluate children for developmental issues, mental health issues, and also those vaccines," said Dr. Sally Goza, the President of the AAP.
Dr. Goza says parents are right to be cautious, but delaying doctor visits for children due to COVID-19 concerns could lead to the spread of other highly infectious viruses.
"We are very concerned that we could have a measles outbreak or a whooping cough outbreak if we don't keep our children's vaccination rates up because we know it takes a lot of herd immunity or for a lot of children to be vaccinated to make sure those diseases don't spread", said Dr. Goza.
Not every issue warrants an in-person visit, though.
Telemedicine has seen a spike in use recently, but it's not a perfect science and should not be a substitute for regular check-ups.
"There are some conditions where parents really still need to bring their children in. We're seeing some missed diagnoses and some problems with children waiting too long to get into their doctor's office for chronic issues like asthma or diabetes, things like that", suggested Dr. Goza.
Experts say you should work with your pediatrician to determine the best treatment plan for your child depending on their age, overall health, and any chronic conditions.
"Parents don't need to be afraid. They need to call their doctor, their specialist, or their pediatrician and find out if they need to come in or if it could be done virtually," Dr. Goza.
Many doctors' offices have a strategy in place to ensure the safety of all patients.
They're making patients wait in their cars. Some are seeing healthy kids in the morning and sick children in the afternoon, taking care to thoroughly clean and sanitize as always.
Of course, you should follow social distancing and face-covering guidelines at these appointments as well.
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