India reported more than one lakh daily coronavirus cases for the first time on Monday with cases surging during the second wave of the pandemic.
According to Dr Subash Rao, Consultant Pediatrician at Reliance Hospital and Fortis Hospital, Navi Mumbai, the Covid-19 virus has undergone a double mutation (changes in genetic structure), and the current strain is highly infectious infecting many people, especially children.
Answering the most frequent queries of parents about the impact of Coronavirus on children, Dr Rao said that a reverse trend is being seen in the second wave where children develop symptoms before the adults.
“The second wave of Covid is known to affect the children much more than in the first wave. Also, a reverse trend is being seen that is – children develop symptoms first, and then adults are getting it from them. The difference is while in the first wave most of the children were asymptomatic, in the second wave they are coming with symptoms like fever, cold, dry cough, loose motions, vomiting, not feeding well, fatigue, loss of appetite, among other common symptoms. Few may also have breathing difficulties and rashes like any other viral fever,” he said.
“Also another reason of rising infection among children is increasing exposure due to playing outdoor, travelling and inappropriate behaviour and laxity,” he added.
The pediatrician said that if a child is showing symptoms of Covid-19 infection, an RT PCR test should be done by the second day.
“Don’t delay or hesitate out of fear to do the test. Early diagnosis helps in early treatment. In case of an asymptomatic child with both parents Covid-19 positive, there is no need for a test but they should be kept in home quarantine for 14 days,” he told the parents.
The doctor said if a child had a fever for two days, but recovered later, they should be home quarantined for 14 days unless they were tested for Covid-19 and their report is negative on the fifth day.
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