COVID-19 usually is milder in kids than in adults, though some children have gotten pretty sick from it.
Many parents wonder what to do if their child gets sick. Here's what you need to know.
Infection can cause a range of symptoms. Most common are fever, cough, trouble breathing, and gastrointestinal problems like bellyache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other complaints include headaches, muscle aches, loss of taste and smell, and cold symptoms. The virus can be more serious in some people. And some people have no symptoms at all.
Some kids get symptoms caused by inflammation throughout the body, sometimes several weeks after they were infected with the virus. It can affect many different body systems, including the lungs, heart, brain, kidneys, blood vessels, skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal system. This is called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
Most kids with MIS-C get better after they get special care in the hospital, sometimes in the ICU (intensive care unit).
Call your doctor if your child has a fever, cough, trouble breathing, sore throat, belly pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, dizziness, or just doesn't feel well. If your child has been near someone with COVID-19 or been in an area where lots of people have it, tell the doctor. Talk about whether your child needs a test for COVID-19. The doctor can decide whether your child:
In a telehealth visit, a health care provider can see your child on video while you stay at home. If you can, choose a telehealth provider who specializes in caring for kids. If the doctor thinks your child needs care right away, they will guide you on where to go.
Watch for signs that your child might need more medical help. Go to the ER if your child:
Call 911 if your child is struggling to breathe, is too out of breath to talk or walk, or turns blue or has fainted.
To test someone for coronavirus, doctors put a Q-tip (a swab) into the nose or mouth, then send it to a lab. COVID tests can also be done at home.
Most people with a mild illness, including children, don’t need any specific treatment. They get better with rest, fluids, and fever-reducing medicine.
A very few kids who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 can get certain medicines, such as antiviral drugs, to keep them from getting very sick and needing hospital care.
Some people who get very sick from COVID-19 will need hospital care, possibly in the ICU. Doctors can closely watch them, give oxygen or IV fluids if needed, and treat any problems. Rarely, they will also give medicines such as antiviral drugs or steroids. Someone who needs extra help to breathe will be connected to a breathing machine (a ventilator).
Everyone 6 months of age or older should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this 2023–24 season. The updated vaccine protects against the variants that are now most common.
Reviewed by: Jonathan M. Miller, MD, Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date Reviewed: Oct 2, 2023
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