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Bavaria supports the "Post-COVID Kids Bavaria" initiative

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The "Post-COVID Kids Bavaria" project aims to improve research into the late and long-term consequences of corona disease in children and adolescents in a Bavaria-wide network. In addition, the partners in the project are striving for rapid and competent care, better diagnostic procedures and special treatment and rehabilitation measures. The project is funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Health with 1.7 million euros.

Children and adolescents can also suffer from the long-term consequences of COVID-19 disease. The symptoms are often varied. While about 10% of adults suffer from post-COVID syndrome, the percentage of children and adolescents affected is not yet clear.

Regensburg and Munich central cooperation partners

"Post-COVID Kids Bavaria" is a joint project of the Children's University Hospital St. Hedwig der Barmherzigen Brüder Regensburg and the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine of the Munich Clinic and the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

"Even though children and adolescents suffering from SARS-COV-2 are less likely to be affected by severe courses and long-term consequences, the clinical picture often has a massive impact on everyday life and quality of life. We must not underestimate this," said Bavaria's Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek during a visit to the Children's University Hospital St. Hedwig der Barmherzigen Brüder Regensburg at the beginning of December.

The "Post-COVID Kids Bavaria" project consists of two independent but synergistic projects:

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Michael Kabesch and Dr. Stephan Gerling (Children's University Hospital in the Clinic St. Hedwig der Barmherzigen Brüder Regensburg), a care network for staged, comprehensive diagnostics and therapy of children and adolescents with suspected POST-COVID symptoms is coordinated from Regensburg. Pediatricians/adolescents and general physicians work closely together with special outpatient clinics at selected children's hospitals and children's psychiatric clinics throughout Bavaria in order to offer rapid and complete care. Some special examination procedures (immunology, ophthalmology, pediatric psychiatry are offered centrally in Regensburg for this purpose.

In some severe cases of post-COVID, the full syndrome of a post-viral chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is present. This disease is characterized by extreme fatigue and very low resilience. The second part of the model project, which is headed by Prof. Dr. Uta Behrends at the Schwabing Children's Hospital of the Technical University of Munich, therefore provides a highly specialized and nationally recognized specialist unit for CFS.

In both parts of the model project, special therapies for children and adolescents are also developed and continuously improved together with specialists from different fields. This ranges from telemedical guidance to home rehab and therapy options in special facilities such as the rehabilitation clinic for children and adolescents in Berchtesgaden (CJD) and the Center for Pain Therapy for Young People in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.


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