The delta variant of Covid-19 is highly contagious and rapidly spreading across the US and other parts of the world. As it turns out, it’s also gravely affecting children, with new cases up by as much as 85 per cent in recent weeks. This makes it especially important to know what delta variant symptoms in children parents in Singapore should be aware of.
The data report shared by the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) suggests that nearly 94,000 child Covid-19 cases were reported in a single week.
The delta variant is twice as contagious as its previous variants and data suggests that it can cause severe illnesses.
That’s exactly why parents need to be more vigilant than ever about social distancing protocols, venturing to crowded places, and ensure that their kids follow all the necessary precautions.
The new Covid-19 delta variant is also more alarming since kids under the age of 12 years are yet to receive the vaccination.
This has prompted the AAP and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to announce that the delta variant is different and so are the symptoms.
Delta Variant Symptoms In Children That Singapore Parents Should Know
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Parents will need to look out for the same common symptoms with the delta variant as with a standard Covid-19 infection. This includes:
- Fever
- Cough
- Congestion
- Loss of taste and smell
- Gastrointestinal issues
Out of these, fever and cough are most common in children, but are not restricted to these.
The CDC says that between 16 and 40 per cent of kids that have been infected have turned out to be asymptomatic. However, the data does come from research conducted before the delta variant became the dominant strain.
In light of the findings, experts suggest that parents and caregivers should be aware of these symptoms in children.
Speaking about the delta variant and its effects on children, Dr Anupama Kalaskar, medical director of infectious diseases at Children’s Minnesota, says, “We haven’t seen any change in clinical presentation with the delta variant. But we have seen an increased number of cases and increased per cent positivity of tests, which reflects increased community transmission.”
Watch Out For MIS-C
The Covid-19 delta variant can also turn into multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in children.
While the disease is uncommon in children, it is causing them serious complications and has its onset several weeks after the initial Covid-19 infection. Symptoms related to MIS-C include:
- Abdominal (gut) pain
- Bloodshot eyes
- Diarrhoea
- Chest tightness
- Exhaustion
- Headache
- Low blood pressure
- Neck pain
- Rashes
- Vomiting
So far, about 4,000 known cases of MIS-C have been reported in the US since the start of the pandemic, out of more than four million Covid-19 cases in children.
Delta Variant Symptoms In Children: Higher Hospitalisations
With the marked increase in the number of kids affected by the Covid-19 delta variant, they now represent about 15 per cent of all new infections (across the US). There is a higher number of hospitalisations in paediatric cases as a result.
Dr James Schneider, chief of pediatric critical care at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park in New York told HuffPost, “Just a few weeks ago, we hadn’t been seeing any kids in the hospital. Now, every day, I have one or two.”
He further added, “It doesn’t seem to be that it’s causing kids to get sicker; it’s just causing many more kids to get sick. It seems like that is the current scenario right now.”
Hospitals in Covid-19 hotspots around the US have warned that they are running out of beds for paediatric patients.
Unlocking Open Areas Making Kids Vulnerable, Say Experts
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With the vaccination process yet to take place for kids, they’re more vulnerable when stepping outdoors without any protection. This is one of the core reasons for the alarming number of cases in children.
Dr Audrey John, chief of infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Philadelphia, said, “School closures, halting extracurricular activities, masking, distancing – all these things kept kids and adults safe. Now that things are more open, young kids and unvaccinated adults are at risk.”
Younger children were safer during the previous waves of the pandemic, which isn’t the case with the Delta variant.
Delta Variant Symptoms In Children That Singapore Parents Should Take All Precautions With
As schools re-open in many parts of the world, AAP and CDC have asked parents to ensure kids wear masks indoors and in school.
If kids start developing symptoms like sniffles, a cough or a fever, parents need to test them for Covid-19. Most of these symptoms overlap with respiratory issues, which is one of the main organs to be affected by the virus.
There is also a possibility that children who have mild symptoms or no symptoms may develop long-haul Covid, which experts are still learning about.
Precautions Against Covid-19: What You Can Do
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As parents, here’s what you can do to safeguard your children against the virus:
- Avoiding coming in close contact with people who have a cold or flu
- Always cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing. Encourage your children to do the same.
- Sanitising hands with soap and water regularly. Always carry a sanitiser with you when stepping out. Add one to your child’s bag and encourage them to use it regularly in school
- Eating healthy food and taking special care to build immunity
- Stay physically active and get the kids to do the same
- Wear masks when stepping outdoors and avoid crowded areas
News Source: HuffingtonPost
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