Cold, flu, or COVID-19?What parents need to know

“I think a lot of people are starting to feel part of this ongoing social distance fatigue,” Dean said. “Talking with your family, how to manage this cold and flu season, and what works best for you as a group is very important to minimize some of that stress and anxiety. is.”

Dean emphasized the importance of keeping a safe distance, wearing a mask and maintaining proper hand hygiene. She also recommended planning some worst-case scenarios.Working parents should try to tell their boss about the time they can take off if their child is ill, and families should. Create a backup plan for childcare In case the parents themselves get sick. It’s also important to understand what happens at school if your child has to miss the day.

Dean also recommended planning to be tested for coronavirus as needed.Most importantly, Dean said, yours Influenza vaccinationInclude American Academy of Pediatrics for Kids Please inoculate the vaccine by the end of October.

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The main concerns in the coming months are flu, colds, Seasonal allergies It has the same symptoms as the coronavirus. Dr. Eric Robinette, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio, said if you were concerned about which condition was afflicting your child, take him home from school.

“Honestly, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between influenza and COVID,” Robinette said, saying that even doctors had a hard time diagnosing various illnesses without the help of tests. “Cough, runny nose, sore throat-these are all shared by both viruses and are confusing without testing.”

According to Robinette, the big difference between the two is Loss of taste and smell, He said it was quite specific to the coronavirus.

If your child begins to show symptoms such as fever, a dry cough, or loss of sensation, the following are important: Put them home from school Get tested as soon as possible, but don’t panic.

“Calm down and look at the plans you made earlier,” Dean said. “Know what you are trying to do.”

Check the local options available, as all testing rules, regulations and restrictions may vary by region. Robinette said that if you don’t know if your child has the flu or the coronavirus, you should get a coronavirus test first.

“COVID has more impact on all these public health factors, including quarantine, social distance, and contact tracing,” says Robinette. “It’s more important of the two, but if you’re tested in the first 24-48 hours of your illness, you’ll want to be tested for coronavirus and flu. Treatment of flu that can reduce the duration of your symptoms. Law. “

If your child is exposed to the coronavirus in the classroom, or because of the time spent with friends, Robinette will tell you where you are, how long has passed since you were exposed, and Whether the patient is symptomatic.. Due to the long incubation period of coronavirus, some patients do not begin to show symptoms for up to 14 days.

“If you test you 5 days after you are exposed to COVID and you are negative, you can say that you do not currently have COVID, but you are not going to go I can’t say. I may be culturing the virus, so bring it tomorrow, “Robinette said.

In most cases, it is best to take the test when possible, but still maintain a two-week isolation period after exposure.

“By the end of 14 days, even if you have an asymptomatic infection, you’re unlikely to get it,” Robinette said.

Dean recommended a similar procedure when exposed to COVID-19.

“Please consult your doctor first,” she said. “Talking about your symptoms and deciding when it’s best to actually get the test is better than just jumping in to get the test right away.”

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If your child begins to show symptoms of the coronavirus, keep track of what they have and when they started to appear. Keeping track of your contacts in the last few weeks is also helpful.All this information is from public health authorities Medical professional People who work on Contact tracing..

If your child was diagnosed with the flu instead of the coronavirus, there would be no need to warn people by reporting exposure to the coronavirus, Robinette said. However, anyone who may have been exposed should be quarantined while waiting for test results.

“(Contact tracing) is not a routine practice of seasonal flu. It’s not very practical just because it’s such a common infection,” he said. “But at first, I don’t know if it’s influenza or coronavirus.”

The timeline of the isolation period can change depending on when the child begins to show symptoms.

“If a child gets sick, such things will reset the clock,” Dean said. “Then we think about the timeline in another way … and we start the 10-day clock for the symptoms …

“10 days after the onset of illness, you need to have no fever for at least 24 hours and feel better. These are the criteria we seek,” confirms the end of the illness.

Whether it’s a short isolation period while waiting for test results or a full two-week quarantine, it’s important to be prepared to spend some time at home, especially if your child is ill.

“Treatment of both (illnesses) is really supportive,” Robinette said. “Maintaining good hydration and managing stuffy nose keeps you comfortable. That’s what it is.”

Dean said it was important to stockpile basic treatments for cold and flu symptoms in the medicine rack.

“It’s great to have something like Tylenol, or something that contains acetaminophen,” she said. “This is an antipyretic and helps with headaches, body aches, and muscle aches that you may experience with any of these illnesses.”

Dean said it might be a good idea to stock up on cough medicine, but be sure to consult your pediatrician before giving anything to your infant.

If Only one family was exposed or ill, Try to keep it isolated from other households.Be sure to use a mask Cleaning products At hand.If you can, try to buy Pulse oxygen meter Monitor oxygen levels that can be affected by the coronavirus.

“If you have children in your house that aren’t exposed yet, it’s very helpful to have a face mask, hand sanitizer, and even a disinfectant that cleans the surface of the house,” Dean said.

Most cases of influenza and coronavirus are mild, especially in children, but parents Monitor the situation..

“Dyspnea, high fever, and the inability to retain water until the child becomes dehydrated,” Robinette said, are all major symptoms that caretakers must take seriously.