COVID-19

What about our children?

• Young Children are largely (but not completely) spared the severe symptoms of the coronavirus and almost never get seriously ill from the virus.

• However, access to childcare, access to healthcare when the system is overwhelmed, and access to supplies and medicines may become an issue with “lockdowns,” when child-care facilities close and people panic-buy.

• Remember that the elderly are vulnerable to COVID-19, so they should ideally not be the main caregivers at this time, as children may pass the virus on to them.

Help keep your child healthy by:

• Practicing strict hand-hygiene yourself.
• Frequent washing of babies’ faces and hands and surfaces and objects which may touch their mouths will help.
• Make sure vaccines are up to date (including the flu vaccine in all over 6 months).
• Keep away from daycare if possible.
• If you are breast feeding, continue to do so if you can, even when you are ill (in which case wear a face mask).
• Formula milk needs to be prepared with extra care and hygiene.
• Keep 1-2 weeks’ worth of baby supplies in the house- no more than this as bulk buying will deny others access to basic goods.

What to do when your child becomes unwell?

• For mild colds and sniffles, keep the child at home, make sure the child drinks plenty of water/milk, eats healthily and gets symptomatic relief if needed, such as nasal sprays and paracetamol.
• If there is a COVID-19 contact, discuss with your doctor whether the child needs screening swabs.
• If the child has a high fever or breathing difficulties, they will need to be seen urgently by a doctor, ideally in an isolation room, after pre-warning the doctors’ practice. Paracetamol seems fine to give (anti-inflammatories may be harmful but there is not much proof for this).
• NO PATIENT CAN HAVE COVID-19 SWABS WITHOUT SEEING A DOCTOR FIRST AND FILLING IN THE RELEVANT FORMS.

AS ALWAYS, APPOINTMENTS CAN BE MADE BY CALLING 021 5100336 OR ONLINE AT WWW.KIDSALLERGY.CO.ZA.

Thank you as always for being fantastic citizens, amazing parents and for listening to our authorities at this crucial stage!

Keep well, keep warm, keep apart!

Your Kidsallergy Team

Claudia, Candice and Gina