Covid 19 in children

For the last two years, the whole world has been fighting against covid 19. Although many a thing is clear about coronavirus, many are yet to solve. Children are one of the worst sufferers in this regard. Schools are closed, parents are scared to send their children to playgrounds with other kids, and the fear of the third wave is coming. A lot of misinformation is circulating in social media about kids being badly affected in the third wave. In this post, I will try to answer common questions parents usually have about covid 19 in children

Are children more prone to covid 19?

No. Children show less severe symptoms compared to adults.

Do children will be badly affected in the third wave?

Unlikely.

As per ICMR data, almost 4% of children were affected in the first wave and nearly 6% in the 2nd.

As children are not at all vaccinated, their chances of getting an infection will be higher. And the percentage may be higher, but it is doubtful that children will be primarily affected in the 3rd wave. Adults will again be affected most in the 3rd wave.

If children are not going outdoor, how will they be affected ?

Children will get infected by adult members of the family. Some children who are going for coaching classes or playgrounds can get an infection from there.

What are the common symptoms of covid 19/ Coronavirus infection in children?

Most children will be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

Few will have

 

Fever,cough, sore throat, headache and body aches, runny nose,loose stool, vomiting, pain abdomen

 

Very rarely children can have severe symptoms like breathing difficulties,convulsions, shock, bleeding

How to differentiate between covid 19 symptom or other illness ?

There is no such. So it is better to get tested. Consult your pediatrician. He can guide you on when to test. If any family member is affected or fever persists for three or more days, testing is essential.

What test is needed in children

COVID RTPCR is the gold standard. Nasopharyngeal swabs are taken for the test. Rapid antigen test can also be done. Covid 19 antibody test is sometimes done in some cases.

Can nasopharyngeal swabs test safe for small babies

Yes. In an expert hand, it is very safe and cause minimal discomfort

If a child is positive, can they be treated at home?

Yes.

Most of the children with covid 19 will be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, so they can easily be treated at home. But this decision should be taken after consultation with your pediatrician, and strict monitoring is a must for home treatment.

What are the things to be done during home treatment

Monitoring is most important. Temperature charting, counting daily passing of urine if possible check Spo2 and looking for development of any new symptom or danger symptoms.

PARACETAMOL can be given for fever 4 to 6 hrly.

More fluid and water to be given. Cough remedies like honey,tulsi can be given, a saline nasal drop can be used for nasal blockage as needed.

Always keep in touch with your pediatrician during home care.

What are the danger symptoms of covid 19 in children

Fever for four or more days

Reappearance of fever

Breathing difficulties

Low Spo2

Cold, clammy hands and feet

Not passing urine regularly

Convulsions etc

 

In general, if any child with covid 19 is active, playful, passing urine normally, and doesn’t show any danger symptoms can safely be treated at home under the supervision of a pediatrician.

How can we keep children safe?

As children are yet to get vaccines, we have to be more careful about them. Three things that are always helpful in this pandemic are SMS

Social distancing

Mask and

Safe hands

We have to follow those strictly. Also, we have to remember adults, even if vaccinated, can transmit the infection to children. So Adults should follow the safety rules always. Also, if any adult is showing any milder symptoms like sore throat and cough, coryza,

they should be isolated and to be kept away from children and senior citizens

Children should also follow safety rules while going out

Should I put mask on my children?

Yes, all children six year and above can safely wear a mask when taught. The Indian academy of pediatrics recommends even children two years old can wear masks under adult supervision. Always make them wear a mask at home first to get them adjusted.

Which mask is better

N95 masks are best, but any mask like a surgical three-layered masks or cloth mask also serves the purpose well when properly worn

What about the COVID vaccine in children

Many vaccines are in the pipeline for approval for children. Already few are recommended for 12 years or more children.

Vaccines will be approved very soon for younger children also. But the availability of vaccines will be a concern even after approval. We have to remember vaccines are not the only way to prevent infection. Other safety measures should be strictly maintained to keep your child safe even when vaccinated.

This post is for educational and awareness purpose and in no way can be substitute to a doctor’s advice and local government guidelines