COVID-19 AND CHILDREN
Written by Caroline Meyer
The coronavirus seems to be all that everyone is talking about in 2020, and the hype may be justified. How the virus affects children needs to be assessed and understood to help find ways to prevent and treat Covid-19. Children in general are less likely to develop the more severe form of Covid-19 and it is less likely to be fatal. However, children that are more vulnerable such as those already suffering with acute respiratory distress syndrome are likely to contract Covid-19 and experience a more extreme reaction. Children with immunocompromising conditions and existing pulmonary conditions are more likely to have severe outcomes with coronavirus infections, including non-Covid-19 infections.
It can be quite difficult to do an accurate assessment as around 60% of children that test positive for coronaviruses usually have other viral infections at the same time. So, the severe reaction could come from the coronavirus but also quite possibly as a result of one of the other infections which may even have similar symptoms. That being said, many children that may test positive may be asymptomatic and show no symptoms at all. This means that they are able to infect others without anyone knowing they are carrying the coronavirus. This can result in contamination via means other than the respiratory tract as well. Children in many cases are not trained to clean their hands adequately after using the bathroom and can transmit the virus through faecal-oral transmission.
There is a recommendation that people ensure they have their mouths and noses covered in public spaces and keep a 2-metre distance between themselves and others. This can help reduce the spread as people who are asymptomatic and are carrying the virus are less likely to spread the virus in this way. Children should also wear masks in public areas. This may be a lot harder to enforce as little ones don’t understand and when irritated with the mask will simply pull it off. At schools and day-care centres, they come in to contact with many other children and physical distancing is a lot harder to enforce in these types of environments. It is suspected that Covid-19 affects children differently to adults, but the research is still in its infancy.
Most children will experience mild symptoms similar to the common cold or otherwise be completely asymptomatic and display no symptoms at all. This means parents needs to be extra vigilant especially if there are elderly people in the home, immune compromised individuals or people with underlying conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes. Anyone who has a chronic illness should be aware of the risks involved with not practicing adequate hygiene and where possible, social distancing, in the home.
Covid-19 is likely to be around for some time to come and we may have to learn to live with a new normal until such time a cure is found or the virus eventually fades away in the way that other pandemics have in the past. In the meantime, it is up to us to protect our family and friends as best we can.
You don’t have to lose touch though. Have Skype meetings with the grandparents or electronic play dates with friends. Make a game of wearing masks to get them to wear them in public. There are ones made with favourite characters that can help with this. Teach them songs that help them wash their hands well and for at least 20 seconds at a time, using soap and water. Avoid contact with family and friends suffering from chronic illnesses or are immunocompromised as far as it is possible. If you can keep your child home and avoid interacting with many other children, do so, as this can also help stop the spread. If you believe you or your child may have been exposed to the virus, practice self-quarantining and get tested to know for sure. If they seem to be having a severe reaction to the virus, they may need to be hospitalized. Stay safe!