When my daughter Jasmine started to show strange symptoms after recovering from Covid in December 2020 I knew something wasn't right. She was 7 years old and was doing home learning with her brother during the 2nd lockdown.
Jasmine started complaining of fuzzy feelings in her hands (pins and needles), dizziness, headaches, stomach pains and wobbly legs (weakness) to name a few. I spoke to the doctor who arranged for bloods to be taken. Jasmine started to have brain fog.
“She loves school and was able to do her work on her own, but, one day she couldn’t even add 3 and 4 together.”
— Gemma Loome, Jasmine's Mother
The final straw was in December 2021 when we took her to a christmas show. Her stomach pains were so bad we had to carry her all the way to the car.
We decided to pay to see a private doctor at Spire hospital; he diagnosed her with Long covid. We were then able to be referred to the local Long covid clinic.
Jasmine had her first covid vaccine in March 2021 and by April she was almost 100% better, going back to school full time and not missing any more time off.
Part 2
Jasmine aged 9 only had 8 months rest inbetween her Long Covid bouts.
The first began in January 2021 lasting 1 year 4 months. Her second began in January 2023. This time we were prepared. I already had a contact email address for a nurse at the Long Covid Clinic who was very fast at calling me back. She gave us lots of support and referred us to the ME/CFS clinic and a dietician due to Jasmine's low weight because her main symptom, that has never left her, is constant stomach pains and an inability to have a healthy appetite.
However, we were backwards and forwards to the doctors looking for something to help her with the pains and nausea. We were given multiple medications which only seemed to work for a week and then the symptoms would return. Sometimes worse.
We were referred back to the hospital after lots more blood and stool tests who prescribed her with Lansoprazole which eased the stomach pains greatly.
Jasmine was on part-time hours at school by this point and due to worrying about her attendance we were encouraging her to do more hours then she felt she could handle.
“A couple of weeks later we had an appointment at the ME/CFS clinic who diagnosed Jasmine with Long covid and ME.”
— Gemma Loome, Jasmine's Mother
Currently Jasmine is pretty much housebound, we need a wheelchair to get her out on walks, and she is unable to go to school at all.
She always has a temperature, stomach pains, and weakness.
