Mar 12, 2021 11:34 AM EDT
PARIS (AP) By the time his parents rushed him to the hospital, 11-year-old Pablo was barely eating and had stopped drinking entirely. Weakened by months of self-privation, his heart had slowed to a crawl and his kidneys were faltering. Medics injected him with fluids and fed him through a tube first steps toward stitching together yet another child coming apart amid the tumult of the coronavirus crisis.
For doctors who treat them, the pandemic’s impact on the mental health of children is increasingly alarming. The Paris pediatric hospital caring for Pablo has seen a doubling in the number of children and young teenagers requiring treatment after attempted suicides since September.
Deseret News
Report estimates 1 in 5 may face challenges
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Chase Schumaker, Salt Lake County Health Department mobile testing team administrator, collects information from those lining up to get COVID-19 tests outside of Corner Canyon High School in Draper on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. The Salt Lake County Health Department will be offering COVID-19 testing at Corner Canyon High School again on Monday, Sept. 28, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY The coronavirus pandemic is spotlighting the need for mental health care for the youngest Utahns, a group of experts said Wednesday as a new report estimated up to 20% of children from infancy to 8 years old may experience challenges.