Health Ministry Issues Guidelines On How To Care For COVID-19 Positive Children

Care for COVID-19 Positive Children: The Health Ministery of India came up with a set of guidelines that can help in identifying how severe is the infection in children and the right treatment for them in home isolation.

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more adults and children than last year. In the past one and half month, more children in the age group of 1-8 tested positive. According to the data released by Health Ministry, about 80,000 children had tested positive till April 20, 2021, in the worst-hit states of India.

Here's how to treat mild #COVID19 cases in children at home. Take a look! #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/j3Vxa2IY9b

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) May 13, 2021

Here are the guidelines released by Health Ministry:

• Most asymptomatic are identified after screening them when their family members test positive. These children constant monitoring in case the symptoms develop. Depending on the severity, treatment should be meted out to them.
• In case children are showing symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat or cough with no difficulty in breathing, they might have a mild infection. Another symptom in mild cases is bloating, excess gas and other gastrointestinal symptoms. These can be treated with simple fixes.
• According to the health ministry, most of these cases with mild infection or asymptomatic condition can be treated in home isolation. These also include cases in which children have comorbidities such as chronic lung disease, organ disfunction, obesity or congenital heart disease.
• Paracetamol of 10 to 15 mg can be given between intervals of four to six hours.
• Older children and teenagers can be given warm soothing fluids such as saline gargle.
• It is essential to keep the children hydrated and on a nutritional diet. This might include immunity-boosting food items.
• The Ministry also said that there is no need to given children drugs like Favipiravir, Ivermectin, Ramdesivir, immunomodulators like Interferon B 1 a, Hydroxychloroquine, Tocilizumab, or dexamethasone. There is also no need for Convalescent plasma infusion.
• Parents or individuals caring for children can keep a monitoring chart to jot down the respiratory rates two to three times a day. A constant check on the child's urine output, bluish discolouration of the body, oxygen saturation, fluid intake and activity level.
• Last but not the least, parents and caregivers should be in regular touch with the doctors.