According to doctors, patients from this age group are also developing health problems like breathlessness, joint pain and inflammation. The decision to open the clinic was taken after many children returned to the hospital after recovery with fever and hyper inflammatory syndrome. 

“We are launching the post COVID-19 follow-up clinic at the JICA building at ICH. We are doing swab and antibody tests after the children recover. The CT result is also observed for follow-up, to check for any complications in the lungs. These tests are being conducted to keep track of post-recovery cases among children,” said Dr S Srinivasan, State Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Coordinator. 

As the virus is novel in nature, several effects and complications linked to it were yet to be understood, he said. Hence, a post-recovery unit would help in better quality of life and proper follow-up treatment for children, added Dr Srinivasan. Paediatricians at the hospital said that many children who test positive are usually asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, but they come back with diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, inflammatory disorders and even rashes. 

“Hyperinflammatory disorders are commonly witnessed in paediatric patients after recovery and pose a great risk of organ failure. Some children test negative for COVID but develop other complications during the treatment itself. However, we are able to treat such cases successfully,” said Dr Mohan Kumar, paediatrician at ICH.