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10-year-old affected by 'long-haul' symptoms more than a year after contracting COVID-19

A young boy continues to have long-haul symptoms more than a year after having COVID-19. His mother says they're now constantly driving to doctor's appointments.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The number of children with COVID-19 continues to rise in Kentucky. It's not just children getting the virus but the issues that continue after. 

Ten-year-old Rylan Edwards, his mom, dad and younger brother, Liam, all got COVID-19 in July of 2020. Liam recovered but the three other family members are dealing with long-haul symptoms.

"You know at first it's we have COVID and it's scary, but we'll manage it and we'll get better. Then it's like okay, we're not getting better, but we'll find out why. We've gotten to the point that as far as my son goes, he's not going to get better," said Emily Ravizee. 

"I literally have pictures and videos of him falling asleep in his food," Ravizee says Rylan is constantly tired and has little energy, "We're still trying to figure out what this journey is going to be like." 

Rylan goes to Norton's COVID-19 Long-term Care Clinic as well as other hospitals to help with allergies, which he was diagnosed with after COVID. "They drug tested him to make sure that we weren't giving him anything. The food allergies are one thing, but now they think that the sleeping is not related, so now we're back to...what is wrong with him?" said Ravizee.

In Kentucky, the number of kids getting COVID continues to rise. "COVID has been equally as devastating to children as adults at this point. They're getting really sick with acute Covid and at the same time, they're also getting long-haul Covid symptoms," said Pediatric Infectious Disease Doctor, Daniel Blatt. 

Dr. Blatt says COVID is a virus that causes a hyper immune response, "Your immune system after getting infected can really go haywire and that can cause a cascade of other ailments to happen." 

He also says these long-haul symptoms are multifaceted and it can take weeks to months to get better.  

"We're not politicians, we're not lawmakers, we're not business people. The only stake in the game that we have is the health of the children of our community and it's being put at risk right now," said Blatt.

Wearing on parents whose kids are drastically different now than before COVID. "I'm frustrated and emotionally exhausted," said Ravizee.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is tracking the people with these post-acute COVID symptoms. Kentucky has 158,071 people deemed as long-haulers. 

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