Protecting Your Baby During Coronavirus
You may worry about your baby catching the coronavirus after reports in the media on an Australian infant who was diagnosed with it.
It is good to know that coronavirus does not cause serious illness in babies. Even if they are infected, may not show any symptoms.
The coronavirus can also affect infants in different ways. There may be problems with accessing child care, health care and consumer goods.
You can prepare for what could happen by thinking about and planning for these scenarios.
There are Many Ways to Get Health Care.
The healthcare system may struggle for a time if the coronavirus spreads.
Twenty percent or more of COVID-19 patients need hospital treatment for two weeks or longer.
If your baby becomes ill for any reason, hospitals and general practitioners may be overrun by other patients with the coronavirus. This may make it hard to get health care.
In recognition of this, the Australian Government announced that parents of newborns will be bulk-billed for consultations with a doctor by phone and video call instead.
You can also do things to keep your baby healthy and prevent them from needing medical treatment. You can also protect those around them from serious illnesses caused by the coronavirus.
Consider Your Hygiene
You can start by practicing good hygiene. You should wash your hands frequently, avoid close contact as much as possible, cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, and refrain from touching your eye, nose, or mouth.
As babies will always put their hands into their mouths, washing their faces and hands as well as cleaning any surfaces or objects that they may touch can help to protect them against infection.
What About Daycare?
Most parents will not be surprised to learn that children who attend daycare get sicker more frequently.
It’s because infants and young children are still developing their immune systems, they come into contact with each other very often, and can end up transferring saliva to one another through mouthing, touching, or playing with the same toys.
If you can, try to keep your child away from daycare. If you must use it, you should wash your baby’s hands and face before picking them up from daycare. Change their clothes then wash your hands.
Vaccines Must be Up-to-date.
The safest and most effective way of protecting babies and children against illness is to administer routine vaccination.
Keep your child’s vaccines up to date so that they don’t need medical care while the system deals with the coronavirus.
You Should Not Breastfeed if You are Breastfeeding
Breast milk is full of ingredients that help fight and prevent infection. Breast milk is the only food that should be given to babies until six months of age. After this, they can continue breastfeeding with other foods for their second year.
When your baby is less than six months old and breastfeeds, you can protect them against a variety of infections. This will also reduce their need to receive medical treatment.
Consider switching to breastmilk if your baby is formula-fed and breastfeeding.
You can start breastfeeding again even if you stop (contact the national breastfeeding helpline to get assistance).
Keep breastfeeding your older child or toddler until the coronavirus epidemic has passed.
You’re Using a Formula.
While preparing baby formula, it is very easy to introduce germs accidentally into the bottles. It is important to take extra precautions to avoid this, especially if medical care is difficult to obtain.
Be careful when preparing the bottles. It is important to wash your hands with soap and clean bottles after each use. make up the formula using hot water.
Be sure to give the bottle a gentle shake and to check that it is not too hot.
Buy Supplies Such as Nappies.
If many people are sick, supply chains can be affected. You may also not be able to shop if you have to stay home and self-isolate.
To prepare for such a scenario, it is suggested that you keep at least two to three weeks’ worth of supplies in your home. Stock up on nappies to last for this period, or keep washable (cloth) nappies in your home.
Check the expiration dates of infant formula if you plan to formula feed.
What Happens if My Mum Gets the Coronavirus Virus?
The coronavirus is more likely to affect mothers than babies.
It is advised that you continue to breastfeed if you are infected. This is because the virus was not found in breast milk.
can help prevent the spread of the virus to your child by wearing a mask while you are around your baby. This includes when you feed your baby.
You can express breastmilk for your baby if you are in the hospital or separated.
Keep Your Grandparents Safe.
Someone else may be needed to care for your baby or any other children if you or your partner are ill.
They may have the coronavirus, but no symptoms. They can easily spread to those who are caring for them.
Parents often ask grandparents for help in caring for their children. Unfortunately, people older than 60 have the highest risk of getting seriously ill from the coronavirus or dying.
If your standby caregivers are older than 60, it’s time to consider alternative childcare arrangements.
Ask grandparents how they can lower their risk of getting an infection when they are caring for the baby.
COVID-19 in Infants and Children
Anyone can get COVID-19. Children are also affected by this disease, which is called coronavirus. Learn about COVID-19 symptoms in children, including testing and medical concerns. Learn how to prevent COVID-19 in children, particularly those at high risk for serious illness.
What is the Likelihood that a Child will Get Sick from Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)?
Between 2020 and 2023, data tracking revealed that between children and adults with COVID-19 reported in the United States, 18% were each.
Children up to 17 years old accounted for 1.5% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations between 2020 and March 2024.
Some children with COVID-19 may need to be hospitalized or treated in an intensive care unit. They may also require a ventilator to help them breathe. COVID-19 is only fatal in very rare cases.
COVID-19 can increase the risk of serious illness in children with certain health conditions, including:
- Multiple chronic diseases, such as those of the nervous system, heart, or lungs.
- Unvaccinated against COVID-19
- A weakened immune system.
- Prematurity is the term used to describe a child born before their due date.
- Obesity is a serious condition.
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes.
This list is not complete. COVID-19 can cause more serious health problems, including sickle cell anemia.
The risk of COVID-19 is increased if you have more than one factor. The risk increases if you are younger than one year old or older than 12. If a medical condition has not been controlled, it can increase the risk for COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccination may prevent your child’s exposure to the virus which causes COVID-19. This vaccine may also prevent your child from becoming seriously ill or having to be hospitalized for COVID-19.
What Are The Effects of Covid-19 on Babies?
COVID-19 may pose a greater risk to babies under 1 than older children. The risk of serious illness in babies under 1 year old may be higher than for older children.
COVID-19 is not transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn child. COVID-19 is usually transmitted to infants by a sick person after birth.
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy can reduce the risk of an infant. There is some evidence that suggests the protection can be passed to an unborn child and continue even after birth.
What are the Symptoms of COVID-19?
COVID-19 can cause severe or mild symptoms in children or even no symptoms. The symptoms may appear 2-14 days after the contact with COVID-19.
Most common are a fever and cough, which may include a barking or croup-like cough. Many children’s symptoms are similar to those of other respiratory illnesses.
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headache.
- Fatigue is the term for feeling very tired.
- Diarrhea is a term used to describe nausea, vomiting, or loose stools.
- Chills.
- Muscle pain and aches.
Testing can be used to determine if the COVID-19 virus is the culprit.
COVID-19 can also cause new symptoms such as shortness of breath, or problems with breathing.
Breathing Trouble
If your child is struggling to breathe, you should seek immediate medical attention. Grunting, flaring of the nostrils, or pulling at the collarbone with each breath are all symptoms of breathing problems. Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or noisy, wheezy, or raspy breathing are other symptoms of breathing problems. This can manifest in babies as a lack of ability to feed or cry.
Other symptoms of serious illness such as:
- A child under 3 months of age with a fever higher than 100.4, Fahrenheit (38.4 degrees Celsius).
- Swallowing problems, such as drooling or not being able to open your mouth completely in older children.
- Gray or blue skin, lips, or nail beds.
- New confusion
- Not being able to stay awake or wake up.
- Constant chest pain or pressure.
- Vomiting and diarrhea that won’t stop
- Dehydration is defined as fewer than three diapers wet in 24 hours in babies younger than three months.
This list does not include all emergency symptoms. Get help if the symptoms of a child that you are caring for worry you. Inform the medical team if you have a positive COVID-19 test or if the symptoms are present.
Tests for COVID-19
COVID-19 testing can quickly determine if your child is suffering from COVID-19. You can act faster to prevent serious illnesses in children who are at a higher risk. This helps to protect those who are at higher risk.
If you suspect that you or your child has been exposed to COVID-19 or you are experiencing symptoms, you should test for the virus. When many people in the area are sick with COVID-19, testing can stop the virus from spreading.
Supporting Your Child During COVID-19 Nasal Swab Testing
This video will help prepare children for the COVID-19 nasal test. It may be helpful to know what to expect. Knowing what to expect makes it easier for children to undergo a medical test. This video is suitable for children as young as four years old.
What is the Multisystem Inflammatory Disorder in Children?
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a serious disease in children, is caused by infection with COVID-19.
Children with MIS-C have a fever, blood markers that indicate inflammation, and serious diseases throughout the body. Inflammation can occur in organs like the skin, brain, eyes, and lungs. As the illness progresses, MIS-C is treated at the hospital.
MIS-C occurs rarely. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received 117 MIS-C reports in 2023. These children were generally healthy before they got MIS-C.
The symptoms usually appear 2 to 6 weeks after the COVID-19 virus infection.
Symptoms include a persistent fever, as well as other symptoms.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Belly Pain
- Skin rash.
- Bloodshot eyes.
- Lightheadedness or dizziness.
