When should a child be taken to the hospital during a pandemic?

Given how easily COVID-19 is transmitted, parents are advised not to bring their children to the hospital for treatment during a pandemic. However, there are still certain conditions that cannot be treated at home. Serious illnesses or those of an emergency nature still need to be treated in the hospital.

When should the child be taken to the hospital?

Children often exhibit symptoms that make parents anxious. They sometimes experience fever for no reason, diarrhea, or severe coughs and colds. In fact, previously they were actively playing and looked healthy.

Parents usually do not need to provide special treatment because this condition will get better by itself. Even so, there are also some conditions that should not be ignored, namely as follows.

1. Persistent high fever

Fever actually benefits the body. When children have an infection, their body temperature will rise to kill the viruses and bacteria that cause it. Their temperature will quickly return to normal after drinking enough and resting.

This is why parents do not need to go to the hospital immediately if a child has a fever, especially with the risk of transmission during a pandemic. However, you should get your child checked by a doctor if:

• Children under three months of age and the temperature is over 38 degrees Celsius
• Children 3-24 months old and the temperature is over 38.9 degrees Celsius
• The child looks very weak and restless
• The child seems unable to follow your eye movements
• Fever is accompanied by vomiting, headache, stomachache, cough and runny nose, and other symptoms that cause discomfort
• The fever lasts more than three days

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2. Vomiting and diarrhea

You don't need to panic if vomiting and diarrhea only occur once. You can treat a vomiting child by giving water, fruit juice, or ORS solution every few hours to prevent dehydration. Also provide plain food to prevent nausea.

However, you should take your child to the doctor if the condition does not improve within 24 hours or:

• There are symptoms of dehydration such as dark yellow pee, constant thirst, and even refusing to drink
• The child hasn't peed for six hours
• The child vomits after experiencing an infection or head injury
• Accompanied by a fever above 37.8 degrees Celsius

3. Respiratory disorders

During a pandemic like this, symptoms of respiratory distress can determine whether a child should be taken to the hospital. If your child has a cough, runny nose, or even symptoms of COVID-19, the first thing you need to do is not to panic.

Pay attention to the various symptoms exhibited by your little one. Make sure he is drinking enough and resting. Immediately contact the doctor closest to or who usually treats you and if necessary take your child to the hospital if he:

• Looks very lethargic and doesn't want to get out of bed
• Experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain
• Looks dizzy, dazed, and very sleepy
• Shivering, sweating, pale, or patches of skin

4. Rash

Rashes are usually not a serious problem in children. The patches that appear on the skin will also fade away, either with treatment or not. However, don't ignore these conditions if:

• The child looks lethargic
• The rash is painful or looks very deep on the skin
• The rash looks purple
• The rash does not improve even after using the medicine
• Rash accompanied by symptoms of COVID-19

5. Immunization

Immunization must still be done even in the midst of a pandemic. This aims to protect children from various serious diseases and their dangerous complications. So, make sure you always check your little one's immunization schedule.

You can do immunizations in hospitals, clinics, or other health facilities. We recommend that you make arrangements in advance so that your child does not have to stay in the hospital for too long.

6. Other conditions

Children sometimes show symptoms of other diseases that are less common. Although currently the pandemic is still ongoing, the following are other conditions in children that should be checked in the hospital.

• Injuries, especially those that cause bleeding and prevent the child from doing normal activities.
• Unusual changes in behavior.
• Pain that is persistent.
• Pain when urinating.
• Asthma attack.
• Severe stomach pain.
• Your appetite decreases suddenly.
• Unusual body movements, including seizures.
• Any disease that gets worse.

Going to the hospital in the midst of a pandemic can increase the risk of a child becoming infected with COVID-19. Therefore, parents are advised to take care of their children at home as long as the illness is still relatively mild.

If your child shows symptoms of an emergency, contact the doctor immediately and take him to the hospital. Protect yourself and your little one by always following health protocols to prevent transmission of COVID-19.