COVID-19 Infection in Children

COVID-19 is a new coronavirus disease that has emerged from Wuhan Province, China in Dec 2019. The economic and social disorganization caused by the pandemic is devastating. Millions of enterprises faced an existential threat. There has been a great loss of life and livelihoods as well. Amidst the second wave in India, there are several doubts and myths about COVID-19 infection in children. Here, I am sharing a few questions that I am often confronted with in my OPD practice.

• I heard COVID-19 does not affect children. Is it true?
  A. No! COVID-19 affects children as well. We see cases right from newborn to adolescence.
• What are the symptoms of COVID -19 in children?
  A. They can have various symptoms right from fever, cough, cold, tummy pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat, tiredness, or even rashes.
• I am a lactating mother. I have recently tested positive for COVID-19 infection. Should I stop feeding?
  A. Please continue mother’s milk. Your antibodies will get transferred to the baby and help fight the infection. Keep the baby in the same room, but maintain a distance of 2 metres/ 6 feet from your cot. Expressed milk is preferable.
• My husband and I have tested positive for COVID-19, but my child is negative. He also does not have symptoms. Shall I send him to his grandparents’ house?Please avoid doing so. Although your child has tested negative and is asymptomatic now, he may have been exposed to the virus in the last few days (incubation period). Please keep him in a separate room and watch for symptoms.
  By sending him to another house, if he develops symptoms later on, he may infect others too.
• What diet should I follow to recover soon?
  A. A nutritious and well-balanced diet rich in proteins, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, calcium, and iron is essential to build up immunity. Avoid junk foods.
• If my child develops fever, how long can I wait to show the doctor?
  A. Show the doctor at the earliest instance. Every fever may not be COVID! Your doctor will be the best guide to tell you how to go about the fever.
• We are on home quarantine. How do we know when to bring my child to the hospital?
  A. Monitor the heart rate and oxygen with a pulse oximeter, temperature with a thermometer at home. If you notice a drop in the oxygen saturation (less than 93%), any change in the activity (drowsy or lethargy), or blue-coloured lips, seek help immediately.
• I read about the inflammatory syndrome in children. What is that?
  A. It is called the multi-inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) that affects blood vessels and ultimately the different organs of the body. It happens due to increased immune response and is severe in children. It occurs as a complication of COVID-19. Thankfully it occurs rarely, but one should keep a watchful eye for it.
• Are there COVID-19 vaccines available for children?
  A. So far, all vaccines are recommended only above 18 years of age. No vaccines are available for children.
• Should I test my child once the quarantine is over?
  A. Follow up with the doctor once your child is out of quarantine period. Usually, there is no need to repeat the test.

Here, at Kauvery Hospitals, we provide online consultations for children between 0 and 17 years of age. We are available on all weekdays. For further information, contact 044-40006000