Families Skipping Pediatrician Visits During COVID-19 Outbreak

CLEVELAND — As the new coronavirus outbreak continues in Ohio, less families are taking their children to preventative doctors visits. Pediatricians are now warning missing those visits could have sweeping health consequences.

“This is mostly because of families’ concerns about COVID-19 and parents worried about bringing their children to the doctors,” said Dr. Nazha Abughali, chair of Pediatrics at MetroHealth. “We, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, want parents to know that avoiding getting necessary healthcare for your child may lead to an increase in vaccine preventable diseases and other health problems.”

Since the start of the outbreak, pediatric visits have dropped 60 percent around the nation. MetroHealth officials said they have seen a similar decrease in preventative visits for children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics said missing preventative appoints could lead to, or inflame, the following problems:

• Low rates of immunization, making more likely the spread of contagious diseases like Measles
• Chronic conditions like asthma, allergies and diabetes
• Delayed diagnoses of illnesses or developmental problems like autism
• Mental health problems in children and teenagers, like depression and anxiety

Families that do not want to risk entering a medical facility, can schedule telehealth visits to connect with a pediatrician.