{"id":9850,"date":"2020-03-20T10:33:47","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T14:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=9850"},"modified":"2020-07-23T10:32:36","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T14:32:36","slug":"coronavirus-in-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/coronavirus-in-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus and kids: What parents need to know about the pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: As experts learn more about the novel coronavirus, news and information changes. For the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the<\/span><\/i> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

If you feel like you\u2019re struggling to figure out how to handle the <\/span>coronavirus pandemic<\/span><\/a> situation, you\u2019re not alone. This is uncharted water for most people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider what has happened in a very short window of time. On Mar. 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, the infection caused by the novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, a <\/span>pandemic<\/span><\/a>. Two days later, a national emergency was declared in the United States in response to the spread of the virus. Stores, schools, and businesses are closing left and right, and every day seems to bring a tsunami of news. It\u2019s a lot for anyone to handle, but how do you approach it as a parent?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time that many of us have ever been through this,\u201d says <\/span>Susan H. Wootton, MD<\/span><\/a>, an infectious disease pediatrician at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Texas. \u201cThere is a lot of learning.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coronavirus in children<\/b><\/h2>\n

Coronavirus symptoms<\/span><\/a> tend to be mild for children, according to the <\/span>research currently available<\/span><\/a>. Most cases of coronavirus have been in adults, according to the <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a>. Learn more about risk at the <\/span>CDC assessment page<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to talk to your children about COVID-19<\/b><\/h2>\n

You do want your children to understand the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and the importance of preventative measures like handwashing and staying home. But you want to do it in a healthy way that doesn\u2019t cause them to panic unnecessarily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, figure out what they already know, says <\/span>Beverly H. Smolyansky<\/span><\/a>, Ph.D., a psychologist with Cincinnati Children\u2019s in Ohio. Ask them if they have any questions. And then you can tailor your answers accordingly, based on your child\u2019s age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some children are naturally more anxious. But since they\u2019re children, they may not specifically tell you that they\u2019re anxious, says Dr. Wootton. You may want to watch out for signs that they\u2019re feeling anxious, like a stomachache.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if you know your child tends to be anxious, you may want to take some extra care in how you discuss the coronavirus pandemic situation with them. Try to dial it back if you find yourself overexplaining or focusing too much on it, Dr. Smolyansky suggests. \u201cDon\u2019t keep bringing it up if it\u2019s only going to make them more anxious,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to give them every single detail. In fact, it\u2019s probably best not to, experts say. But you can reassure them that the <\/span>coronavirus symptoms<\/span><\/a> will likely be mild, according to the <\/span>research currently available<\/span><\/a>. You can also reinforce the importance of doing all the preventive behaviors to help keep other people safe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How parents can prepare<\/b><\/h2>\n

By now, everyone\u2019s heard the advice about the best ways to avoid spreading this novel coronavirus. <\/span>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>World Health Organization (WHO)<\/span><\/a> offer this guidance to everyone:<\/span><\/p>\n