Advocates worry coronavirus pandemic putting more children at risk for abuse “Serious injuries can happen to a child within a matter of a few seconds,” Ward said. “Particularly injuries to the brain, to the eyes that can happen when force is used with a child even in those moments can have lifelong consequences so they don’t grow up to be the person they otherwise would have been.”It is believed the injuries are connected to high levels of stress connected to the on-going pandemic, Ward said.Friday CHEO, Ottawa Public Health and the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa issued an online public service announcement urging parents and other caregivers to reach out for help when in need.#CHEO is seeing a disturbing trend of infants with head.