COVID-19
Also called: Coronavirus disease-19, SARS-CoV-2
Overview
What Is COVID-19?
COVID-19 (coronavirus-19) is a flu-like illness that is highly contagious and spreads easily. It's caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.
Top Things to Know
- COVID-19 is a flu-like illness that spreads easily.
- Symptoms include fever, cough, body aches, and gastrointestional problems.
- Kids get better with rest, liquids, and fever-reducing medicine. Some at higher risk of severe illness may need antiviral medicine or hospital treatment.
- Getting the COVID-19 vaccine can help keep kids from getting very sick from COVID-19.
Signs & Symptoms
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of COVID-19?
COVID-19 infection can cause a range of symptoms, which can be more serious in some people than others. The most common signs are fever, cough, trouble breathing, and gastrointestinal problems (like bellyache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). Other complaints include headaches, muscle aches, loss of taste and smell, rashes, and cold symptoms. Infants can be fussy or lose their appetite, or have only a fever.
Some people who get the virus don't have any symptoms.
What Is MIS-C?
Sometimes, a few weeks after being infected with COVID-19, a child might get new symptoms caused by inflammation throughout the body. This is called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is rare, but it can make a child very sick. It can affect many different body systems, including the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal system. Common symptoms include fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, bloodshot eyes, and dizziness.
MIS-C is a serious condition that can lead to organ damage if not treated quickly. If your child has symptoms like these, call the doctor right away. Most kids fully recover after getting medical care.
What Is Long COVID?
Some people have symptoms that last for a long time, a condition known as long (or long-haul) COVID or "post-COVID-19 condition." Sometimes these symptoms begin while a person is still sick, but they also can start after someone recovered or after they had an infection with no symptoms. These symptoms can include tiredness, headache, trouble sleeping, trouble breathing, trouble concentrating (“brain fog”), muscle and joint pain, heart palpitations, and changes in their sense of taste and/or sense of smell.
Is COVID-19 Dangerous to Children?
Children usually have mild symptoms when they get COVID-19. But some kids do get more serious symptoms, and some have died from COVID-19.
COVID-19 can sometimes lead to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. In kids, the most common symptoms include tiredness, trouble breathing, chest pain, or belly pain. Most children recover fully from myocarditis, but sometimes it can be more serious and cause lasting heart damage.
Doctors noticed that more kids than usual were diagnosed with diabetes during the pandemic, especially after being sick with COVID-19. This has also been true for POTS. The reasons for these connections are not yet clear, but studies are underway to learn more.
When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor if your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C, or just isn't feeling well. The doctor can decide whether your child:
- should get tested for the infection
- can be treated at home
- should come in for a visit
Get care right away if your child:
- has trouble breathing
- has severe belly pain
- has pain or pressure in the chest
- is confused or not making sense
- has trouble staying awake
- looks bluish in the lips or face
These symptoms can be warning signs of serious illness.
How It Spreads
How Does COVID-19 Spread?
The virus that causes COVID-19 mostly spreads through the air. People can catch it from others who are infected, even those without symptoms. When an infected person breathes, talks, sings, laughs, sneezes, or coughs, tiny droplets go into the air. These can land in the nose, mouth, or eyes of another person, or they can be breathed in. The risk of spread is highest when people are close together, when they spend a lot of time together, and when they are in an indoor space that isn't well-ventilated.
People also might get infected if they touch an infected droplet on a surface and then touch their own nose, mouth, or eyes. But this type of spread is a lot less common.
Prevention
Can COVID-19 Be Prevented?
There's no guaranteed way to avoid COVID-19. But safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines help protect kids from COVID-19. This is especially important for those who are high risk, including all kids between 6 months and 23 months. Talk to the doctor to see if your child is due for a vaccine.
To help prevent the spread of germs, it’s always a good idea to:
- Wash hands well and often. Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid people who appear sick.
- Clean things that get touched a lot (like doorknobs, counters, phones, etc.).
Treatment & Care
How Is COVID-19 Treated?
Most people with a mild illness, including kids, don’t need any specific treatment. They get better with rest, liquids, and fever-reducing medicine.
A few kids who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 can get antiviral medicines to keep them from getting very sick and needing hospital care.
Some people who get severe symptoms will need hospital care, possibly in the ICU. Doctors can closely watch them, give oxygen or IV fluids if needed, and treat any problems. Rarely, they will also give medicines such as antiviral drugs or steroids. Someone who needs extra help to breathe will be connected to a breathing machine (a ventilator).
What Else Should I Know About COVID-19?
Check the World Health Organization (WHO) website for up-to-date information.