Jornal de Neurologia Clínica e Neurocirurgia

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-How to (or not to) Return to School during Covid-19?

Abstract

Geetanjali Rathore

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. While COVID-19 continues to spread, the protection of children and educational facilities is of prime importance. Limited data suggests children are low risk and get less severe COVID-19 infection. However, there is an increasing concern that patients with Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (DBMD) may be at increased risk of developing multisystemic and severe complications of COVID-19 due to major comorbidities. As school and health care authorities prepare to open in person schooling this fall, the parents and caregivers of children with DBMD face new and challenging decisions about how their child will return to school this fall. When deciding between in-person and virtual learning, limited data is available for parents and health care providers to make this decision for children with DBMD. Here we will review some important considerations that can help make the best informed decision for this special population.