Six months after catching Covid, Libby uses a wheelchair and finds it hard to speak.
When Libby, from Cardiff, grows up she wants to be a vet or police dog handler and loves kayaking, trampolining and swimming."Since having Covid I have a constant headache, can't sleep at night, am very dizzy and for the last five weeks I'm not able to stand or walk and need a wheelchair to get around," she said.Libby has barely been able to go to school since being ill and said she never expected to be so unwell.
She said she needed help doing even small things like getting snacks, washing her hair and has to be carried upstairs to bed because she does not have the energy at the end of the day. Libby's mum, Joanne, whose son also had Covid with Libby, said initially she wasn't overly concerned because "we've been told kids just get a cold and they'll be fine".She said getting straight answers, quick appointments and understanding "felt like pestering".
She said seeing Libby in "constant pain" was difficult but said her daughter puts on a "a brave face". Kate Davies, of Long Covid Kids, said children often go "under the radar" due to a lack of awareness, as well as there being no precedent on how they will be treated. This is down on the previous two months, which were the highest numbers reported since figures were collated by ONS.