Essential steps to catching COVID symptoms early in children

During the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, many cases of children getting infected from the deadly virus have been reported. It starts off with milder symptoms in kids but it gets severe if it's not taken seriously. Therefore, it's essential that parents be aware of the symptoms and seek medical help immediately.

Nishant Bansal, Consultant Neonatologist, Motherhood Hospital, Noida, lists down some signs and symptoms of Covid-19 in kids:

Covid-19 has a range of symptoms including

* fever

* cough

* trouble breathing

* symptoms of a cold such as a sore throat, congestion, or a running nose

* chills

* muscle pain

* headache

* a loss of taste or smell in children above 8 years of age

* nausea or vomiting

* diarrhoea

* tiredness

Even inflammation throughout the body remains a major concern even sometimes several weeks after they were infected with the virus. This is called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Doctors are still trying to find out how these symptoms are related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bansal shares symptoms of MIS-C can include:

* fever

* belly pain

* vomiting or diarrhoea

* a rash

* neck pain

* red eyes

* feeling very tired

* red, cracked lips

* swollen hands or feet

* swollen glands (lymph nodes)

If your kid is suffering from MIS-C, she or he might have trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, bluish lips or face, confusion, or trouble staying awake. Such symptoms should not be ignored and the kid should be taken to the hospital. It has been observed that those kids get better with hospital care, sometimes ICU admissions, he points out.

If a child has symptoms, what to do? Answers the expert:

Seeing and examining the condition of the child, the doctor will then decide how to go about it: If it can be treated at home, if one should come in for a visit, or if one can have a video or telehealth visit.

How to keep other members safe if the child has symptoms?

Bansal says: "It's essential that all the family members stay at home until their test reports arrive. Make sure that people and pets in the house are away from your child as much as possible. Ensure that only one person in the family is handling the care of the sick child. If the infected child is above two-years-old then he/she should wear a mask at least for the time when the caregiver is in the room. Don't leave the child alone for a long time by putting on his/her mask. If the sick child is using the same washroom then wipe down the bathroom with disinfectant after he/she uses it. Other family members should sanitize their hands at regular intervals."

However, the family should not panic. Covid-19 vaccines are now available for people who are 18 and older. Even the doses for infants are on trial currently. Everyone should get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.