Expertise centers for children with long-term coronavirus complaints to open on Monday

Children who are still suffering from severe symptoms caused by a coronavirus infection can visit a special clinic from next week. The treatment locations at the university hospitals in Amsterdam, Maastricht, and Utrecht will open on Monday. These locations are called post-covid expertise centers. These clinics have been open for adults since November.

Children were able to be registered for a visit to these expertise centers by their general practitioner since November 1. The Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers (NFU) has reported that hundreds of children have been registered for this therapy. The federation is expecting this number to increase now that the treatment center will open.

The treatment centers for adults with lengthy complaints caused by the coronavirus are in Amsterdam, Maastricht, and Rotterdam. The NFU would not share the number of people who have been treated for that and how their health is currently.

The university hospital federation has stated that children with chronic complaints caused by the coronavirus need a different kind of treatment than adults: “The treatment of children requires an approach which is based on their growth and development.” However, they added that it is important that doctors who treat children and adults need to share their knowledge with each other.

Most of the Dutch population has been infected by the coronavirus since 2020. Many people recovered from this without complications, but some have had to suffer from the symptoms since then. They are constantly tired, out of breath quickly, and can hardly concentrate. They also often struggle with light and sound.

This has led to many children struggling to participate in school and maintain contact with their friends. Doctors are still looking into how the coronavirus has caused these complaints and what can be done to combat it.

Healthcare minister Fleur Agema said that the opening of the special clinics will give the parents and children some hope. “Many children have not been able to go to school, sports, or a party with friends as a result of this disease. Their lives are at a standstill and that is horrible for them, but also their parents.”