Parents' guide: What to do if your baby has Covid-19

Parents may be concerned about their child’s every cough and sneeze in the present Covid-19 situation. At the same time, they might be hesitant to bring them to a doctor for fear of being exposed to Covid-19.

Dr Tan Mae Yue, an Associate Consultant at the Child Development Unit at National University Hospital, answered these FAQs to keep parents informed and to alleviate some of their concerns.

Can newborns contract Covid-19?

Although Covid-19 appears to affect predominantly adults, verified instances of children contracting it range from 1 per cent to 5 per cent worldwide. Young children, especially babies, are more vulnerable to Covid-19 and have a higher risk of serious infection. It is important to be careful if your child has underlying diseases such as heart or lung problems.

Covid-19 infections in infants are unusual, according to available information, although they do occur. Transmission is thought to occur mostly when babies are exposed to mums or caregivers who are infected with Covid-19.

New parents might take solace in the knowledge that most babies with Covid-19 have asymptomatic infections or mild sickness, and serious illness has been described but appears to be uncommon.

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What are the symptoms of Covid-19 in children?

The following Covid-19 symptoms have been observed in newborns, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Poor feeding

In addition to respiratory symptoms such as runny nose and cough, fever is found in half of the patients. These symptoms are comparable to an ordinary cold, and it is common for a child to get six to eight colds every year. Muscle aches, sore throat, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea are less common symptoms.

How do I distinguish these symptoms from those of other prevalent viral illnesses?

Covid-19 respiratory symptoms can be very similar to other illnesses. Suspicion of Covid-19 is increased if there has been known interaction with someone who is Covid-19 positive, or if there has been recent travel in the previous two weeks. Your doctor will determine whether a Covid-19 test is required.

What should I do if my child shows these symptoms?

Keep an eye on the child’s temperature and be cautious. Allow your infant to rest at home and drink plenty of water. Avoid going outside. Seek medical assistance if your symptoms last more than five days and do not improve.

What to do if my baby has Covid-19?

If your infant has a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19, you can take action to make him or her feel more at ease and limit the risk that other family members will catch the disease.

1. Self-quarantine

Keep your child and all other immediate family members at home to reduce the danger of spreading the virus to others. According to Patricia Garcia, M.D., a paediatrician and hospitalist at Connecticut Children’s in Hartford, Connecticut, you should also aim to minimise your child’s interactions with other members of your family as much as possible.

2. Treat the symptoms

According to infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, Maryland, there is no specific at-home treatment for Covid-19 at this time, and patients are treated symptomatically.

To put it another way, if your child has a fever, you can treat it with fever-reducing medication. Always follow the label’s dose directions, and never give medication to newborns under two months old unless your paediatrician specifically instructs you to.

Here are a few alternative options for treating your child’s symptoms:

• Hydrate your child
  Give her plenty of breast milk or formula if she’s young. According to Dr Fisher, if your child is over the age of one, “any liquid is fine,” including milk and clear fluids.
• Use honey to treat cough
  If your child’s cough persists, Dr Fisher suggests giving her a spoonful of honey several times per day. “It works better than any drug,” she claims. However, due to botulism concerns, children under the age of one should not consume honey.
• Consider using a humidifier
  Dr Fisher recommends using a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room to help clear up congestion.
• Don’t be concerned if she isn’t eating much
  Great if your youngster continues to eat healthily. However, fluids are the most crucial factor at this moment. “All they need to do is drink responsibly,” Dr Fisher explains.

Be on the lookout for more serious symptoms

Dr Fisher advises calling your child’s paediatrician if she gets “excessively fussy” for more than three hours or has difficulties breathing.

Also, call your doctor if your baby is under three months old and has a fever of 100.4 degrees F (38 deg C) or higher; if your baby is three months or older and has a fever of 101.5 degrees F (38.6 deg C) or higher; or if your baby has been sick with a cold or flu and has a fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher and appears sicker.

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What other steps can I take at home?

Maintain proper hand hygiene, shield your face while coughing or sneezing, and exercise social distancing, especially around the sick. Disinfect surfaces and objects in living areas that may harbour germs.

Maintain a balanced diet and adequate sleep for your child to give his or her immune system a natural boost. Avoid secondhand smoke since it can irritate their airways and make them more susceptible to colds. Refer to National University Hospital's Covid-19 Resources for Parents and Caregivers page for more information.

When can a baby with Covid-19 be released from home isolation?

Your child can leave the house again if she meets all of the following conditions, according to the CDC:
• She has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
• Her symptoms have subsided.
• Her symptoms have been present for at least 10 days.

You can also use this Home recovery guide for children with Covid-19 from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or your child’s paediatrician.

You’re definitely doing everything possible to protect yourself and your family from the Covid-19 epidemic. However, the virus, particularly the Omicron version, is very contagious, and even if you strive hard to keep healthy, your child may test positive for Covid-19.

Don’t freak out if you find yourself in that situation. Keep these recommendations about caring for your family in mind if your child becomes infected with the virus.

This article was first published in theAsianparent.