Omicron is also a threat to children. Expert alerts: if your child has these symptoms, get a COVID-19 test

The new variant of the Omikron coronavirus does not bypass young people, it also attacks young children. It is worth observing the little ones in order not to miss the symptoms that should prompt them to test for COVID-19. The expert warns — the disease can develop insidiously, so even mild symptoms must not be ignored.

1. During the fourth wave of the pandemic, the coronavirus increasingly attacks children. Most have mild disease, but this may only be an appearance
2. It is worth paying attention to symptoms typical for a cold, but potentially dangerous, such as cough, runny nose or fever. In such cases, doctors advise you to take a test
3. The Omikron variant may also cause unusual symptoms, such as ailments related to the digestive system. They, too, should worry the parents of the child complaining of these symptoms
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Coronavirus increasingly affects young people, even before the age of 30. This was the age of the woman who was diagnosed with the first case of Omikron in Poland. The second case, a few days ago, was a three-year-old girl from Warsaw. She complained of a runny nose, had nausea and vomiting — symptoms seemingly unusual for the coronavirus. The girl most likely infected her parents as well.

The three-year-old, who got infected in kindergarten, is now well, but the virus is not giving up. Another, third case, was detected in a seven-year-old girl from Gdańsk. “The girl had a PCR test on 10.12 because of the symptoms of paragullial infection” — the Ministry of Health reported on Twitter. In total, seven cases of Omikron have already been detected in Poland.

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1. What are the symptoms of Omikron in children? [WE EXPLAIN]

Flu-like symptoms are a signal to test for COVID-19

There may be many more similar cases in Poland, but not everyone treats symptoms that may resemble a common cold seriously. Many people, when such symptoms occur in a child, are concerned about possible quarantine and confinement at home. Professor Małgorzata Polz-Dacewicz, head of the Department of Virology at the SARS Laboratory of the Medical University of Lublin, advises to perform the test even privately and be sure that the child is healthy.

— Flu-like symptoms, cold symptoms should prompt parents to test their child. However, I know that people do not want to smear for various reasons. Parents do not want to test their children, because a positive result will result in quarantine, so forced isolation. Some people also think it’s a cold and will go away on its own — said the expert, quoted by «Kurier Lubelski». Meanwhile, the disease can develop insidiously and at some point it may be too late.

1. Why is the coronavirus more attacking children now? Two main reasons

Coronavirus: What Should Alert Parents?

First of all, it is worth paying attention to flu-like symptoms: increased temperature, cough, runny nose, headache and muscle pain, general fatigue.

However, with the Omikron variant, less typical symptoms also appear, e.g. loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and even rash. Some little patients do too symptoms of sinusitis and laryngitis. It should definitely pay attention general weakness. In such cases, it is worth testing the child for COVID-19 infection.

— What I would like to emphasize is that in the event that we do not have any symptoms, testing with an antigen test does not make sense, because the result will be negative. If there are symptoms, an antigen test can be done. But a PCR test will always be the best for both children and adults — added Małgorzata Polz-Dacewicz.

Also read:

1. Doctor: COVID-19 can cause leukemia and diabetes. There are more and more such patients in the wards
2. Surprising and serious complications in children who have had COVID-19 asymptomatically
3. How many children in Poland died from COVID-19? “It’s a lot”

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