COVID-19 is rattling the nerves of preemie parents

<p>"With COVID-19, all of those memories have come flooding back. It is as if I am back in the NICU staring at that tiny infant and worried that she would get sick. Only now I have to pull myself out of that horrific daydream and stare at my teenager and pray that she will get through this. I am not alone in this. Parents of premature babies worldwide and some of whom had children on the very edge of viability are absolutely terrified. I also worry about the parents in the NICU now. I worry about the preemies that are now teens, young adults, adults, and in the elderly years. Each of them has at least one underlying health condition that can turn COVID-19 into a severe and yes, fatal case.</p> <p>To health responders and the health care professionals on the front end: I hear you on the seriousness of this illness. Thank you for guiding us on the challenges with COVID-19. You have us parents of vulnerable children and your former tiny patients backing up your concerns completely. To the general public heeding that concern to #stayhome and do the right thing by the young and the old and the immunocompromised, again, we are grateful. You are all our heroes."</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/preemieworld/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deb Discenza</a> is co-author of the <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0578035065/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0578035065&linkCode=as2&tag=kevcom-20&linkId=74WDFAKS3TPZDWHO" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Preemie Parent’s Survival Guide to the NICU</a> and founder, <a href= "https://preemieworld.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener nofollow noreferrer">PreemieWorld</a>.</p> <p>She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "COVID-19 is rattling the nerves of preemie parents everywhere." (<a href= "https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/03/covid-19-is-rattling-the-nerves-of-preemie-parents-everywhere.html">https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/03/covid-19-is-rattling-the-nerves-of-preemie-pa