Connecticut parents are extremely worried after 18 local children suffer from heart problems after receiving the second dose of the COVID Vaccine.
Parents in Connecticut are extremely concerned about the effects the COVID-19 vaccine may have on their children, after at least 18 youth in the state have shown symptoms of heart problems after receiving the injection. Dr. Deirdre Gifford, acting health commissioner for Connecticut, said Monday that the children who had developed the heart condition were hospitalized for a “couple of days” and 17 of them have been released.
Medical professionals treating the youth say there were cases of both myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle that decreases its ability to pump blood normally, and pericarditis, inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart. These conditions are most often caused by viral infections but they can also result from the body’s reaction to a drug.
The First Case Reported in Connecticut
The first case to be reported at Connecticut Children’s Hospital was Rachel Hatton’s 17-year-old son Gregory. The mother and son live in Naugatuck.
Hatton said her son began complaining of severe chest pain three days after his second dose of the faccine. It worsened on the fourth day and led to back pain.
Gregory went to a walk-in clinic where they ran tests and learned that he had pericarditis. He was immediately transferred to Saint Mary’s Hospital y and then to Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
“They hooked him up to a heart monitor, did more EKGs, echocardiograms. Infectious disease actually came and ran their own set of blood work to try to figure out if it could have been caused by something else, some sort of infection, something else, like Lyme disease. They tested him for all sorts of things and one by one those tests came back negative,” said Hatton.
Doctors told the mother that they still couldn’t say definitively if his condition was related to the COVID vaccine. However, they called him back in for an MRI after two other children presented with similar symptoms after receiving the vaccine.
Because of his heart condition, Gregory is unable to work as he is hooked up to a heart monitor 24/7 in addition to his medication regime. He is scheduled for another MRI in June to determine if his condition has improved.
“He basically has a heart condition now and it’s terrifying,” said Hatton.
Hatton said she is sharing her son’s story because she wants parents to be aware of potential side effects so they can make the best decision for their child. Although doctors claim the condition is extremely rare, Hatton said it doesn’t feel rare when it’s your child who is ill.
“I’m not trying to deter people from getting the vaccine, because my son, if you spoke with him, he would tell you to still get it,” Hatton said. “Me, being his mom, I’m definitely torn. So, I just want people to be aware and be more informed because now they want to give this vaccine to younger and younger children and it’s terrifying. I wouldn’t want any other parent to go through what we’ve been through.”
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Dr Gifford reported positive outcomes for the affected children during a news conference. "All of the cases that were reported to us were hospitalized, the vast majority for a couple of days," she said. "One individual that we’re aware of is still hospitalized. The other 17 have been sent home and they’re doing fine."
Problem Found in Other States
A CDC safety committee released an advisory last week to alert doctors of myocarditis pericarditis among younger vaccine recipients after there were reports of what they stated were “relatively few” cases of these heart symptoms. The CDC says it is investigating after a small number of teens and young adults reported having heart problems after being vaccinated for COVID-19.
As of Monday night, cases were reported in New York, Idaho, Oregon and Colorado.
Doctors offered reassurance Tuesday following several dozen reports of what appear to be mostly mild heart problems in children following their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. They did caution the children and their families to pay close attention to possible symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath and to seek medical attention immediately if these symptoms develop.
Dr. Manesh Patel, chief of the division of cardiology at Duke University School of Medicine, assured parents, “This kind of myocarditis is usually sort of self-limiting, or improves as the heart gets better, even when it's inflamed," he said. "Just like with an infection, it gets better over time and so it's usually — thankfully — not very long-lasting in most cases."
What We Know About The Features of this Potential Problem
Here is what we know about the demographics for the children who develop myocarditis so far:
- predominantly occurs in adolescents and young adults,
- more often occurs in males than females,
- more often occurs following dose 2 than dose 1, and
- typically develops within 4 days after vaccination.
While health experts nationwide are saying that it is not currently clear whether the vaccine has anything to do with the heart problem, this is something that all those affected have in common. CDC did not share how many youth may be affected, however NBC News identified at least 55 suspected cases nationwide. Connecticut has the most reported cases to date of any state.
Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms have been generally mild in these children, and the condition has for the most part, resolved on its own. However, symptoms that should be closely monitored and are cause for concern include fever, fainting/low blood pressure, fatigue, arrhythmias (irregular heart beat), palpitations (rapid heart beat) and shortness of breath. Chest pain can also be a sign of the condition, specifically if the child experiences pain when leaning forward which is relieved when they lean back again. Should these symptoms develop, it’s best to consult your pediatrician immediately.
To diagnose myocarditis, clinicians will often order an EKG, echocardiogram, and test for troponin levels (the presence of troponin in the blood may indicate damage to the heart muscle).
In terms of treatment for these children, generally supportive care for the symptoms and rest may be enough, since the condition frequently resolves on its own. Treatment also may involve anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, and in some cases, a medication called IVIG.
It is usually recommended that children who develop myocarditis follow up with a cardiologist for about six months to ensure there are no other significant problems that need to be addressed.
Concerned Parents
There is particular concern among parents because the problem appears most likely to occur following the second vaccination. As states have only recently begun allowing children ages 12-15 to be vaccinated, few have received the second dose.
In Connecticut the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was first made available for 12 to 15 year olds on March 12th when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the vaccine for this age group. Other states made similar announcements following CDC’s recommendations. So, it is possible that more cases may develop as more youth receive their second shot.
There is some worry among public health officials that if these fears continue, it could lead to low vaccination rates in this age group. Parents in particular, will play a critical role in the success of vaccination efforts for children, as they are the ones to determine when or if their child will receive a vaccination.
According to a recent survey conducted before there were reports of possible myocarditis, 26 percent of parents of children ages 12-15 stated they would wait a while before having their children vaccinated to see how things went. Forty one percent of parents of children in this age group said they would definitely not get their children vaccinated or would only agree to do so if vaccinations were required for their child to attend school.
There are no reports of how these percentages may have changed since the development of potential heart problems in some children.
President Biden and Health Experts Recommend Children be Vaccinated
On Monday during a press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that President Biden is aware of the reported cases of myocarditis and that he will continue to advise young people to get vaccinated.
“Our health and medical experts still continue to convey that it is the right step for 12- to 15-year-olds to get vaccinated, that these are limited cases, and that, obviously, the risks of contracting COVID are certainly significant even for people of that age,” Psaki said.