Caring for Kids as the COVID-19 Pandemic Takes a Turn

This September, more children in the United States caught COVID-19 than during any other month in the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The number of patients at Children’s National Hospital surpassed last winter’s peak. About one-third of our COVID-19 patients require admission to intensive care.

We also are caring for kids with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a severe illness linked to COVID, and seasonal respiratory illnesses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Flu season is just around the corner. During this critical time, Children's National is responding on many fronts.

Our research scientists are advancing understanding of COVID-19 and MIS-C:

• The safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12
• Long-term impacts of COVID-19 and MIS-C on kids
• The impact of a COVID-19 diagnosis for children with pre-existing conditions, including cancer, Type 1 diabetes and asthma

Families can turn to our experts for answers:

• When to make your 5- to 11-year-old child’s COVID-19 vaccine plan (Hint: It’s now)

• What you need to know about the COVID-19 delta variant and kids

• How to tell the difference between COVID-19 vs. RSV vs. flu

Our pediatric leaders are a national resource. Here are recent highlights:

• Dr. Lee Beers, medical director for Community Health and Advocacy and president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, sat down with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a Q&A on COVID-19, vaccines for kids and what we know about the Delta variant.

• Dr. Xiaoyan Song, director of Infection Control/Epidemiology, appeared on CNN to discuss COVID-19 and the Delta variant and what parents can do to keep their kids safe.

• Dr. Joelle Simpson, division chief of Emergency Medicine, spoke with Martha Raddatz of ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos on the importance of vaccinating children and hospital preparedness as COVID-19 cases rise.

• Dr. Claire Boogaard, medical director of the COVID Vaccine Program at Children’s National, spoke with CNN about vaccination hesitancy among teens and young adults.

Children’s National relies on generous philanthropic support to provide exceptional, compassionate care and fuel pediatric discoveries. You can help.

Your gift to our COVID-19 Emergency Action Fund will: support our doctors, nurses and other providers with childcare, transportation and wellness, so they can provide the best care; help us prepare and care for the increasing number of hospitalized children; and assist in the distribution of pediatric vaccinations, as soon as they become available.

Thank you for considering a donation to Children's National. Every gift matters during this critical time.