With COVID-19, no one is exempted. As restrictions ease and routines start to normalize, it’s still best to keep ourselves equipped with the necessary knowledge in case we or one of our family members test positive for the virus. If you suspect that your child might have COVID-19, here are the symptoms you should look for, as well as indicators for when you should have them tested.
Symptoms in Children
According to the Philippine Pediatric Society’s A Parent’s Guide to COVID-19 Infection in Children, approximately 12 percent of the total COVID-19 cases come from the pediatric age group or among infants and children.
While most of the reported cases are considered mild (42.1 percent), there is still the risk of developing a severe case of the illness among children. As children begin to interact and be exposed to people outside of your household, keep in mind these indicators in case you spot them from your child.
The three most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children include:
- Fever (with a temperature of 38°C in children below 3 months and 39°C in children 3 months and above)
- Cough
- Colds or nasal stuffiness
Other symptoms they may experience include:
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty in breathing
- Vomiting
- Watery stool
- Abdominal pain
- Sore throat
- Muscle pain
- Loss of smell and/or taste
- Headache
- Rashes
- Seizure
Severe cases in children may manifest with any of the above symptoms together with at least one of the following:
- Generalized darkening or bluish discoloration of the child
- Grunting and severe chest indrawing or the inward movement of the lower chest wall (the part of the chest above the stomach) when breathing in
- Inability to breastfeed or drink
- Lethargy
- Unconsciousness
- Convulsions
Some patients with a severe case of COVID-19 may also develop shock, acute stroke, and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C (where different body parts get inflamed).
When should your child be tested for COVID-19?
Here are the conditions to consider for when to have your child tested for COVID-19:
- Children who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19
- Children who had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19
- Infants who were born to mothers that tested positive for COVID-19
If your child is asymptomatic but had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, it’s best to have them tested five to seven days after the last contact with the COVID-positive person.
Testing for COVID-19 among children can be done using the RT-PCR test. Antigen tests are only recommended for children living in mass housing units such as orphanages and convents. This is to ensure immediate and timely testing in order to prevent the disease from spreading further.
When having your child tested for COVID-19, make sure that the testing center you’ve chosen is using DOH or RITM-approved COVID-19 testing kits.
For more information about managing COVID-19 in children, download a copy of Philippine Pediatric Society’s A Parent’s Guide to COVID-19 Infection in Children here.
Sources:
Philippine Pediatric Society (2021). A parent’s guide to COVID-19 infection in children.
Vandergriendt, C. & Wright, S.A., (2022). What is the normal body temperature range? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-normal-body-temperature#in-children
