A family relaxes at a local park in Nanning, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Feb 24. Photo: cnsphoto

An official WeChat account providing information on available physical and mental health services for children in Shanghai and Hubei Province was launched on Monday as parental concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) remains a top priority.

Sponsored by the Children's Hospital at Fudan University in Shanghai, the WeChat account is part of a project to help children mitigate suffering caused by COVID-19.

Fudan professor Xu Hong, the project's promoter, said that since the outbreak began, children have exercised less, experienced irregularities sleep habits, and have spent more time in front of computer screens.  

"How to help the children and their families, especially those in key epidemic areas in Hubei, to mitigate the negative effects on them, is the duty of the pediatricians," Xu said.

The project aims to help children and parents in need and includes medical experts from various fields like pediatrics, along with art, and PE educators. 

Children and parents suffering from physical and mental health problems can seek help on the platform, which offers medical consulting, health management, art classes, and spiritual communication.  

Over 200 pediatricians covering a range of specialized medical and health issues will be available to answer questions online 12 hours a day.

Children and parents in need can also receive expert advice on spiritual communication. 

Videos, audiobooks, and webinars on emotional management conducted by field experts will also be available to help users overcome difficulties.  

The platform's services will be made available first for children in Wuhan and Shanghai, and especially those infected with COVID-19 at the city's makeshift hospitals.