The vast majority of children with Covid-19 omicron can be treated at home, according to specialists from the Children’s Clinical University Hospital (BKUS).
As the incidence of various viral infections increases, BKUS specialists understand the anxiety of parents about the possible course of the disease and its impact on the child’s health, as well as the issues that arise in relation to the specifics of treatment. Specialists face parental concerns about how to deal with an illness – whether to see a family doctor or go to a hospital first.
Specialists at the Children’s Hospital emphasize that the vast majority of children with Covid-19 omicron can be treated at home and ask parents to consult their GP or pediatrician for remote consultation.
Data from recent months from South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries show an increasing number of pediatric patients infected with the omicron variant. With the growing number of infected children, the number of inpatients is also increasing.
Available global data and the situation in BKUS show that children with the omicron type do not suffer more severely, proportionally more children do not need oxygen support and more frequent hospitalization of children is not observed in the intensive care unit. This also applies to young children and infants.
The increasing number of pediatric patients in hospitals is explained by the fact that Covid-19 currently affects a proportionately more children than before, often due to parental anxiety, and some omicron-positive children are hospitalized with a completely different diagnosis and omicron is only a side finding.
The most common Covid-19 Signs of omicron in children are fever, sore throat, runny nose, tiredness and headache. Children may also have a more abdominal discharge, nausea or abdominal pain. BKUS urges parents not to worry and to assess their child’s health as calmly as possible. Fever or fever in itself is not dangerous for the child, other signs should be observed.
Seek medical attention immediately if the child begins to breathe heavily, faster and shallower than usual, has wheezing, bluish lips or a face, is very inactive, has an unusual amount of sleep, is distracted or refuses to drink. Also, consult a doctor if babies eat less than usual, suckle inactive, are sleepy.
BKUS also states that all newborns under the age of one month must see a doctor in person.
Children with chronic conditions and all children under one year of age who are suspected of having Covid-19 should seek medical advice to assess the condition. This consultation can also take place remotely.
The Children’s Hospital reminds that during the pandemic, the number of children with other infectious diseases – respiratory viruses, intestinal viruses, and other seasonal respiratory infections – has also increased significantly. For this reason, the number of patients in the hospital is very large, which significantly increases the waiting time in the emergency department. Therefore, BKUS reiterates its call to assess the child’s state of health before going to the Children’s Hospital and to consult a family doctor or use a counseling line.
www.farmacija-mic.lv
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