Your child has covid/ when do you need medical intervention?

 I was actually going to take this week off, but I know of multiple families who have had their kids test positive for Covid this week. This post is for all of you families who are actively dealing with a sick kid or who have been exposed.

When to worry!!!!

One of the hardest things for parents to learn is the very important basics of ‘When to Worry’ about an illness. Everything feels like it has higher stakes in this pandemic world that we are currently living in. Whether your child has Covid (any variant), Influenza, Rsv, Roseola, and/or any nasty virus du jour, there are certain things that I want you to pay attention to. Respiratory distress If your child is struggling to breathe they need to be seen, it doesn’t matter if they have a fever or not. When someone is working harder to breathe you may see the tummy going in and out more than usual. The breathing is more rapid. They may be making grunting or wheezy noises. The nostrils might be flaring. You also might see something called retractions, which is when the skin below the throat and around the ribs looks like it is sucking in.  Someone with breathing issues may look pale. For people of color, you can assess this by checking mucus membranes, nails or the palms. For a mild to moderate cough, see if sitting in a steamy bathroom brings some quick relief. If not, they need medical intervention. Warning sign: A baby having a hard time feeding and taking breaks for air Reassuring:  Feeding well What to do in advance: If you pay attention to what the baseline is, it will be easier for you to recognize trouble. If possible, before they are ill, get a sense of what your baby’s normal breathing looks like.  Actually look at their breathing, what does it look like when they are well? When they are calm, count their respirations. Fever If there is a fever higher than 101.5 give medication and wait an hour. You can also do cool compresses and lukewarm baths. Make sure they are not over bundled. If the fever has not budged, check in with your doctor or urgent care. These days if the fever is higher than 103, most practices will send you directly to the emergency room. What to do in advance? Have a thermometer that you trust. Before there is an illness, take everyone’s temp for several days at the same time of day to establish a baseline. Fever blog post Inconsolable If your child is crying inconsolably I am going to tell you the same thing I would tell the parent of a newborn. Is the diaper too tight? Do they possibly have a hair wrapped around a finger or toe? (that is more common than you might think), did they get an insect bite? Do a full body check to see if you can figure out the cause of the fussiness. If there is obvious source, even if there is no elevated temp, go ahead and give a dose of Tylenol or Motrin. Make sure you know the proper dose. Many times, fussiness can be caused by something as simple as severe gas pains. If you sense that this might be a possibliity, add a dose of simethicone to the mix. It certainly is not going to hurt and can possibly make a big difference. January looks like it might be a tricky month with so much illness making the rounds. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, try to focus on things that are actually in your control. What to do in advance? Get anyone who is eligible fully vaccinated. Have a stash of reliable masks. Make sure you are stocked with food and medications including pedialyte Make some soup and freeze it in reasonable portions Take steps to boost your immune system