The new year started with families facing more challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases in kids went up during the surge fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant. This could be because as more older children and adults are getting vaccinated, the youngest are the ones left least protected. This presents a challenge because as parents we want our kids to be socially engaged and play with other kids. But, how can we do that safely until a COVID-19 vaccine is approved for children 4 years old and younger? As we’ve had to do a few times during this pandemic – it’s about reevaluating and adapting to the changing landscape.
Expect kids to get sick
I would recommend that families expect, and be prepared, for their kids to get sick, and not just with COVID-19. Winter is peak cold and flu season and that can create confusion because those illnesses share some symptoms with COVID-19. Every household should do their own risk-benefit analysis and then adapt. If everyone eligible in the home is relatively healthy and has received their COVID-19 vaccine and booster, then it will be safer to go out in public with your unvaccinated toddler. However, if there’s a grandparent in the house whose immune system is compromised, then it may not be worth it to have your unvaccinated toddler out in the community at risk of exposure and bringing it back home to your family. It comes down to what risks families are willing to take with their health and the health of loved ones given their own unique circumstances.
Kids can wear masks!
Remember, we now know a lot of protocols that work to help mitigate your child’s risk of exposure. Kids who are 2 and older can wear a mask! It’s about practice and re-framing the expectation. If you go with the mindset of ‘my toddler could never wear a mask,’ they will not wear a mask. But, if you start with, ‘I wear a mask, your siblings wear a mask,’ and then have the child practice wearing a mask at home – you’d be surprised at what can happen. Young kids can and will get comfortable wearing a mask with practice. Going back to the risk-benefit analysis, if there’s an immunocompromised grownup in the home and your toddler can wear a mask in public – the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 and spreading it is reduced.
Test, test, test
My third recommendation is testing. At-home antigen test kits, sometimes called rapid tests, are sold by local pharmacies and online. The tests have been in high demand, but hopefully, more are becoming available. There is no lower age limit for home tests. You can use them on your toddler or even a baby if you wanted. They are not as accurate as PCR tests. However, if your neighbors wanted to have a playdate you could have the adults and kids take a test 15 minutes beforehand and if everyone were negative for COVID-19, the kids would not have to wear masks as long as they didn’t have symptoms.
Get everyone eligible vaccinated!
The one thing to remember is there are safe and effective options to protect younger kids until a COVID- 19 vaccine becomes available to them. As a pediatrician, I strongly recommend everyone 5 and older get
vaccinated and boosted when they’re eligible. Sooner or later, most of us will likely get COVID-19. But, your chances of getting very sick are low if you are vaccinated. No parent wants to be sick when they have to also take care of their kids, or worse yet, be in the hospital.
Ask the Pediatrician column featuring Dr. Gigi Chawla, the Chief of General Pediatrics at Children’s Minnesota.
More COVID-19 resources are available online: www.childrensmn.org/coronavirus-covid-19/
