COVID’S LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON CHILDREN’S HEALTH
Ontario Media Association (OMA) President, Dr. Samantha Hill, and a panel of Ontario doctors held a briefing and Q and A on how children and adolescents have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Briefing topics:
Mental Health & Social Development:
The pandemic has brought changes that affect children’s routines, structures, social interactions, etc. What are the short- and long-term consequences of these changes on children and how can we best support them through the pandemic?
Vaccinations:
When will vaccinations for children be available in Canada and what is their impact?
Emergency Department Visits:
Despite a significant drop in the overall emergency department (ED) visits by children, why has there been a significant increase for some types of injuries?
Panelists including:
Dr. Samantha Hill is a cardiac surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Services in Toronto and president of the OMA, representing Ontario’s 43,000 physicians. In addition to her medical degree, she has a Master of Science in epidemiology and biostatistics and a Master of Science in community health and health practitioner teacher education.
Dr. Saba Merchant is the owner and director of Maple Kidz Clinic in Vaughan, where she has been a pediatrician since 2004. She is a member of the Ontario Community Clinic Working group set up by the OMA’s Pediatric Section during the pandemic to write clinics for reopening medical clinics and to provide support for pediatricians around the province.
Dr. Vicky Fera is an infectious disease physician at Markham Stouffville Hospital and an ED physician at the Hospital for Sick Children. She is the primary investigator for the CATCO/ WHO Solidarity clinical trial at Markham Stouffville Hospital. Solidarity is one of the largest international trials for COVID-19 treatments.
Dr. Daniel Rosenfield is a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at the Hospital for Sick Children and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto. He is the site director for the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention program and maintains active research and quality improvement projects looking at pediatric trauma and injuries.
