ATLANTA — The thought of going to a doctor’s office right now can be a little scary. Those who often need appointments are young children.
But pediatricians want to remind parents that some things are essential.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes spoke to a nervous family. They have two children and are expecting one more.
Before the virus pandemic, the Hall family seemed to always be at a doctor’s office. Whether it was for prenatal appointments, vaccinations for their 1-year-old or checkups for their 2-year-old.
[SPECIAL SECTION --> Latest on coronavirus in Georgia and around the world]
But things are different now.
“We’ve got a 1-year-old who is due for shots, we’re just kind of opting out of going to the doctor right now because of the possibility of other people and kids being sick,” Jacques Hall said.
Atlanta Dr. Terri McFadden said many parents across the state feel the same way and that’s why so many pediatric offices have been empty.
“But they still need their ongoing medical care because children under 2 need their immunizations, they need their focus on growth and development and if we don’t address those things, we may come out of the pandemic and end up with a vaccine-preventable outbreak, like measles, and that would be terrible,” McFadden said.
McFadden agrees that we need to shelter in place, we need to practice social distancing, but she also wants parents to think about their child's long-term health.
She’s urging them to call their pediatricians, ask for advice and make sure they're checking on their family's mental health, as well as the physical.
“You’ve heard people talk about emotional trauma; this is so traumatic for children and adults alike. I think we’ll all have a little bit of PTSD when we emerge,” McFadden said.
Doctors said when it comes to your mental health, having a routine is crucial.
Unplug when you can and do things to lighten your spirit.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
