Families are keeping children safe at home by heeding warnings to stay inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. But in spite of parents’ best intentions, strict adherence to home quarantine has created a new problem that puts kids at risk: missed doctor’s visits.
Regular appointments with a child’s primary care provider are essential to a child’s health — particularly in the first two years of life, when growth and development need close monitoring and the majority of vaccinations are given. Although it may seem counterintuitive, experts say parents should try to keep those appointments, even during lockdown, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly encourages in-person visits whenever possible.
