How To Fight Covid-19 Infection In Your Child? Tap To Know The Details

Manasi Saraf Joshi

Pune, 21 April 2021: As the country is battling with the second wave of Coronavirus pandemic, Covid-19 infection in children and adolescents has put oil in the fire. In the second wave, as many as 55,000 cases of covid infection in the children have been reported from Maharashtra state.

The figure not only adds to your worry but also raises various questions regarding the medical health care available for it. However, the paediatrician assures that though the infection has affected the children this time, proper diet and medication will help them tide over the infection staying at home.

Covid infection in children

“Like the first wave, the highest infected persons were aged between 20 to 45 years of age”, said Indian Medical Association Pune chapter president Dr Avinash Bhondve.

He said, “The majority of these infected people were asymptomatic and spread the infection. Since this age group also consists of a large number of parents, these parents infected their child(ren)”.

“When the first wave subdued, parents along with their children went out for excursions. Many children were seen on two-wheelers along with their parents. This spread the infection to them. Schools and playgrounds are closed, so children coming into contact with other children is out of the question. It is the parents who infected their child (ren)”, Dr Bhondve added.

Paediatrician Dr Pramod Jog said, “In the first wave a person would infect three people who came in contact. This time it was a 1:8 ratio. Children too become spreader when they stepped out with their parents when there were fewer cases of Covid-19”.

“We need to look at the infection among those who are 0 to 10 and 11 to 19 which are the adolescent. Children below 10 can be treated at home with paracetamol and if needed with the antibiotics”, Dr Jog explained.

He added, “But for adolescents especially children who are of 11, 12, 13 or 14 years of age in few cases needed to be treated like adults. This is because the majority of these children are obese. These days more and more children are obese or have weight issues. Thus, they needed to be investigated.”

Dr Bhondve on similar lines said, “Children generally do not need a long course of medication, neither the hospitalisation but yes, if they have missed on their vaccination programme in childhood or are diabetic, suffering from cancer or other diseases, then the case needs special attention”.

What steps can be taken if they are infected?

Dr Jog said, “It becomes difficult to differentiate between covid-19, general flu and pneumonia as more or less the symptoms are the same. We give paracetamol for fever and monitor the health for 48 hours to 72 hours and the activity of the child. If the child remains active and the temperature reduces within three days, then nothing to worry about. But if it re-occurs then we have to recommend the antibiotics or go for blood tests.”

Dr Bhondve said, “Laboratory investigations can be done and then medication can be given. Hospitalisation is very, very rare so far for the covid-19 infection among children”.

Diet and health of children

The most important is to keep a strict eye on the diet of the child. An infected child or non-infected child must be given lots of Vitamin C, green vegetables and colourful fruits.

Dr Bhondve said, “The simple homemade, fresh food beats all kinds of infection. A wholesome meal will help to develop the immunity in the child and this immunity can fight against the diseases.”

Dr Jog pointed out that along with Vitamin C, Vitamin D too is important for the children and thus a child must be exposed to sunlight between 10 am to 3 pm. Vitamin D improves health and increases immunity.

Common sense and a cool mind will help the parents and child to fight against the disease.