Get kids tested only if fever persists for more than 3 days, says doctor - Times of India
Dr Vemgal said flu viruses also lead to fever-like symptoms among children and a Covid-19 test is not needed unless symptoms persist for more than three days. In any case, he said, the treatment is the same and precautions like isolation are a must. Excerpts from an interview.
Many children are testing positive for Covid-19, and parents are concerned…
In the past two or three weeks, fever cases among children have increased. However, out of 10 children with fever whom we test, five would test positive for Covid, which means that the flu virus is also circulating and not all fever cases are Covid. If all fever cases among children were
due to Covid, then it would have been a nastier situation and hospital beds would have been filled with many children. But this is not the case at all. Children above the age of 12 years would have developed immunity to flu previously or
would have shots and unlikely to get flu. We see 150 children daily in our OPD and in the past three weeks and it's a case of viral infection with 75% of them. Irrespective of whether it's Covid or not, when one has symptoms, isolation is a must; one must not mingle with neighbours and friends.
Should parents get their children tested for Covid based on symptoms, or when a family member is infected?
Covid test need not be done on the first day of fever. Covid and flu have common symptoms. If a child has a fever, cough, cold and it subsides within three days, then no test is needed. A Covid test is advised only if symptoms persist
for more than 3-4 days. Even if it is Covid, there is no specific treatment for that age. If a family member tests positive, and if the child is asymptomatic, we, as doctors, do not recommend a Covid test. Even if one tests, the treatment is the same: Isolation and taking primary precautions like wearing a mask and maintaining hygiene. There is a big possibility that an asymptomatic child who is running around and playing may test positive for Covid. For a statistician it only adds to the number of accurate cases, but for a clinician it does not matter.
What are the warning signs based on which parents must seek further treatment for an infected child?
If the child has high fever [more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit] for more than three days, shortness of breath, consistent cough, wheezing, persistent vomiting, loose stools, severe dehydration, decreased energy levels and drop in urine output, then doctors must see the child, conduct tests and initiate further treatment with IV fluids, oxygen supplement. The tests are to check if the child needs hospitalisation, or if s/he has dengue, typhoid, or any other respiratory illness.
Making children wear masks and isolating infected children has not been easy. How should this be managed?
It's difficult to make small children wear masks, but children above 5-6 years understand and children above 10 years are very aware. Wearin g the right mask and wearing it properly is more important than wearing one improperly.
Do you see a rise in Covid-infected children requiring admission?
No. We have only 10 children with Covid at Rainbow Children's hospital, Bannerghatta Road. Kids do better than adults as their immunity is robust. A child's body mounts a better defence against the virus than an adult with comorbidities.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) was a post-Covid complication seen in the previous wave. Are there cases even now?
There have been no such cases this time, but none should be worried about it. We know how to manage it. Diagnosis was an issue in the first wave and cases were not as many as we anticipated in the second. The fatality rate in MISC is less than 0. 1%.
Comments
Post a Comment