Data suggests that COVID-19 cases in children might be less severe than those in adults, and in the United States, relatively few children with the virus are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“One of the things we’ve noticed is that children do not seem to be getting as sick and aren’t affected as severely as adults,” said Dr. Karen Burgess, a pediatrician at University Medical Center. “That’s not to say it can’t happen, but fortunately it does seem like they are not the ones suffering the greatest consequences of the illness.”
Burgess is also associate professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the College of Community Health Sciences, which operates UMC.
She said scientists don’t yet have a good explanation for why children seem to be escaping the worst of COVID-19. One of the hypotheses is that children’s immune systems might be more adept at tackling these viruses.
Often during those first few years, children who are not going to day care might have eight to 10 cold infections a year that can last up to two weeks at a time, Burgess said. A child going to day care might have twice that number.
“During early childhood, they are continually fighting things off all the time. Young children more often experience colds than we do as adults, and maybe that’s part of it, but we just don’t know the answer to that yet,” she said.
Might children with existing health conditions be more at risk to COVID-19?
Burgess said it’s not known if children with underlying health conditions might be more susceptible to the virus. “As with all populations, children who have respiratory illnesses or underlying health conditions, or who might have cystic fibrosis or other chronic illnesses, are probably a little more susceptible to having larger symptoms than children who don’t.”
Can children transmit the virus?
Burgess said there is so much that is not yet known about COVID-19, and if children can transmit the virus is another unanswered question. “We do seem to think that in the general population, there are a lot of individuals who can have COVID-19 and not have symptoms.” She said in some ways, that’s a good thing because it means there are people wo come in contact with the virus who might not get sick.
She said the problem is that even though people are not sick, they can spread the virus to others, which has made containment difficult. “We don’t know yet if that extends to children. There’s mixed evidence right now about that,” Burgess said.
This is why public health officials have encouraged everyone to wear masks when they are out in public, “not so much to keep themselves from getting the virus, but to reduce the likelihood of transmitting it to others,” Burgess said, adding that children should wear masks, too.
What are some of the ways that parents can help their children during these stressful times?
“A lot has changed for children. They’re not going to school. They’re not able to go outside and play,” Burgess said.
She encouraged parents to implement routines. “One of the things that can help is to have a schedule, just like you do during the regular school year, and keep on a good routine.”
Burgess said the importance of routine is that it adds a sense of normalcy, which can help reduce stress. “Children like structure, and they like to know what’s coming next and what to expect.”
What about physical activity, and getting out of the house?
While movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants and other similar public gathering places are closed, “our parks are, by and large, still open,” Burgess said. “You don’t have to be cooped up inside. You can go outside, go for a walk, and maybe that’s something you can factor into your (family’s) routine. And while your kids can’t play with the neighbor kids down the street, you as a family unit can go out and kick a ball, play catch and have some physical activity and incorporate that into part of the routine as well.”
She said the American Academy of Pediatrics is watching for increasing rates of obesity during this time due to a lack of regular physical activity for children. “That’s another reason to incorporate some getting out, fresh air and a little bit of exercise into the regular routine.”
How can parents explain the virus to children, and answer their questions?
Burgess recommends parents answer questions with information that is age appropriate, and as honestly as they can. “Children have different personalities. Some are going to internalize more; some are going to worry more. One of the things you can do is highlight the part about children aren’t the ones getting as sick from this (COVID-19) so there’s less reason for them to worry.”
She said it is really important to let children know that it is always OK to talk about their feelings.
How do you explain social distancing to young children?
The best way is to be a good example, Burgess said. She acknowledged that toddlers are not going to understand social distancing, so “we do the best we can to explain to them that we want to keep our distance from folks because we want to reduce the likelihood that we’ll get sick.”
Should parents keep well-child visits during this time?
Burgess stressed that well-child visits should not be skipped, even during this COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re working really hard (at UMC) to ensure that all of our children who need vaccines are coming in for their vaccines. The last thing we want in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic is to have an outbreak of measles or pertussis.”