Though she never tested positive for COVID-19, doctors believed Rebecca, then 12 years old, was most likely suffering from a rare, post-COVID syndrome called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
Ever since, Peillon has urged the Quebec government to raise awareness about the syndrome and warn the public about its risks. Yet, despite nearly a year of letters and phone calls, she has made little progress.
“Parents need to be informed about this,” Peillon said this week, “but I’ve been shut down in every respect. Either I get no response, or I get told there aren’t enough kids affected by it.”
Specialists started detecting cases of what’s now known as MIS-C shortly after the pandemic began. Its symptoms tend to appear four to six weeks after a COVID-19 infection and can include persistent fever, intense abdominal pains, skin rashes and bloodshot eyes.
