Does my child need to wear a mask?

Mask requirements will continue to vary, but most children over the age of 2 can still safely mask in high-risk settings to reduce their risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. 

How can I prevent my child from getting COVID-19?

COVID-19 vaccine recommendations continue to evolve. In most cases, high-risk children over 6 months of age should still get the Covid-19 vaccine. Other children may receive the vaccine based on parental preferences and discussions with their pediatric provider. As always, hand washing is an easy and effective way to stay healthy. Staying home when sick, and testing for Covid at home are also helpful to prevent any spread. 

Should my child receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

The vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are FDA-approved for people ages 6 months and older. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children ages 6 months or older get the COVID-19 vaccine. If your child is 6 months or older, it’s a good idea to speak with their healthcare provider and decide together if getting the vaccine is the best next step. For more information about the vaccines, head here. 

Your child’s pediatrician or other healthcare professional is a great resource for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

If my child has symptoms that might be COVID-19, what should I do?

First, try an at-home test. If you’re not sure of the results, generally, you should re-test your child 24-48 hours later. Although infants and children can get the virus, they typically have more mild cases than older people do[2]. Call your child’s provider to find out what they would like you to do. Depending on the circumstances, they will have a process in place for getting your child the evaluation and care they need, which might include a phone or video appointment. In the meantime, please do not send your child to school or daycare where they will be around other children. Keeping sick family members isolated in their own bedrooms and using a separate bathroom can help decrease transmission within families. Many families will also mask at home when this is not possible.

The FDA has approved the medication remdesivir as an intravenous treatment for children older than 28 days and heavier than 7 pounds who are at risk for severe disease or who are hospitalized. Paxlovid is an oral medication approved for at-home use in children over 12 at risk for serious disease.

What is Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)? What do I need to know?

In early May 2020, doctors in the United Kingdom and the U.S. started reporting a few cases of children who were experiencing inflammation in multiple organs that appeared similar to a rare condition called Kawasaki disease[3]. Kawasaki disease causes swelling and inflammation in the blood vessels of the skin, eyes, and heart, causing symptoms like persistent fever, body rash, swelling in the lymph nodes (neck), swelling of the hands and feet, red eyes, and peeling skin[4]. 

Again, children are generally less likely than adults to become sick with COVID-19. Very few children with COVID-19 develop this syndrome and almost all of those who do recover well. However, MIS-C can be severe and should be treated quickly to avoid long-term damage to organs. Treatment tends to focus on reducing the inflammation. 

My child seems really exhausted or has no appetite after having Covid-19. What should I expect?

Recovering from COVID-19 can be challenging and slow-going for adults and kiddos. This is called Post-Covid Conditions (PCCs), and there is support and treatment when necessary. Very young children or babies may have difficulty expressing how they feel – things like explaining that they can’t taste anything or have no appetite can be impossible. It’s important to remember that it can be normal for there to be several weeks or more of “recovery” when your child is tired, has less appetite or has other lingering symptoms. Being in touch with their provider can offer reassurance and check-ins if they need more investigation (everything from a baby who isn’t gaining weight to a teenage athlete who is still short of breath).

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Your COVID-19 guide

Is Baby fascinated by cars, trucks, and all things that go? They’s a little young to fully grasp the rules of the road, but it’s never too early to begin talking to them about street safety. Early knowledge can help raise awareness and reduce the risk of an accident. Here are some ways to start the conversation about staying safe near the street.

• Start with the basics: When you’re out for a walk, or running errands, remind Baby that cars belong on the road and people stay on the sidewalk. Understanding where vehicles and people should be will help them learn not to wander.
• Holding hands: Each time you’re near a road or parking lot, make sure they knows they must hold your hand, or the hand of another grown-up. If your hands are full, have them hang onto your shirt or pants at all times.
• Play safely: It’s common for a toddler who doesn’t know any better to want to chase a ball that rolls away, and if they’s playing outside, this may mean they’ll want to chase it into the street, if that’s where it went. Let them know that when you’re outdoors, it’s important to stop and let an adult retrieve any toys that get away.
• Use simple language: In a way that they can understand, tell Baby each time you’re out how important it is to stop and look both ways before crossing a road, or even through a parking lot. Repeat these steps each time you’re crossing so it becomes automatic.
• Look for crosswalks: Show Baby crosswalks when you’re out and about, and describe what they do, even if you’re not crossing at that moment. Let them know that when you’re crossing, you need to stay inside the special lines in order to be safe.
• Teach about signals: When you’re waiting to cross, press the button for the crosswalk, and show them what each signal means. This will help them understand when it’s safe to go, and can help following road safety rules feel more fun.
• Time it right: It’s no secret that darkness, or inclement weather, can reduce visibility for drivers. When possible, time your errands and other outings during the day, and use extra caution when venturing out in unpleasant weather conditions.

Teaching about street safety early on is an important lesson to ensure children’s safety, and the way in which you explain how to remain safe will change as Baby gets older. For now, start with the basics, using simple language and remaining consistent so they knows what to expect when you’re near traffic. Since they follows your lead, remember to be a good role model, abiding by the rules you set forth each time so they knows to be consistent.

There’s a beautiful moment of excitement, joy, and pride when your child takes their first steps. They finally did it; they’s walking! Then, reality sets in. Baby can walk now. And soon, they can climb. And if they keeps progressing, they’ll be running before you know it.

As every parent eventually learns, once a child starts being mobile, they gets very mobile. Many children will take any chance they can get to beeline to an interesting object, explore a new area, or test the limits of human speed. If your toddler’s way of seizing the day is running off on you, know that you’re not alone. If you’re looking for ways to manage it, you’re in the right place.

Be clear about expectations

The best way to catch a running toddler is to make sure they doesn’t start running. When you’re out and about, try to give clear instructions about what you expect during your trip. If you’re walking through a store, tell Baby that you want them to stay with you, maybe with one hand holding you or the cart, and not touch anything without asking. If you’re at a playground, say that you expect them to stay on the mulch or within a certain boundary.

If they starts to deviate from that, ask them to remember what you said at the beginning of the trip. If you threaten consequences, make sure to give specific warnings beforehand and follow through on whatever you say. If Baby runs off and you tell them to come back before you count to three, make sure you have a game plan in case you actually get to three.  

Practice at home

The second-best way to catch a running toddler is to make them run back to you on their own. If you like, you can play games at home that simulate the runaway effect. Some parents play “Red Light, Green Light,” where you tell Baby to go when you say green light, stop when you say red light, and slow down when you say yellow light. If the game is a hit, the commands might translate well to real life.

Games like this or Simon Says can help because they give you built-in strategies for talking to Baby while they is a little far from you, and they help you stay calm. It might be necessary for you to raise your voice a little to get Baby to hear you from far away, but try to avoid yelling if you can. The last thing you want to do is turn the situation into a chasing game where Baby gets a kick out of your frustration and repeats their actions.

Use distractions or strategic placement

If Baby seems like they might be gearing up for a run, plop them into their stroller or in the front of a cart. Maybe Baby will be perfectly content sitting and won’t have sprinting on their mind.

They might need a book or a toy to entertain them during the journey, but that’s okay as long as you come prepared! They might also just enjoy talking or playing “I Spy” with you. If all goes well, Baby doesn’t even need to know that their placement was a running-prevention strategy in disguise. If all doesn’t go well, Baby is already in prime position to be steered back home.

And as for staying sane? You just have to keep in mind that almost every parent experiences the panic of seeing the glow of their child’s metaphorical tail lights in the distance. And all that exercise is great for their health!

If it’s a consistent problem, think about sitting Baby down and explaining how it makes you feel when they runs off and how your number one priority is their safety. You can say that you’re happy to take them to a place where it’s safe for them to run and play, but if you say it’s not safe, you need them to listen then and there. And don’t forget to praise them when they does listen!

Sources

• “Toddlers Exploring the World.” Dealing with Toddlers. University of Illinois Extension. 2017. Web.
• Tepel, Valya. “Discipline for Young Children – To Prevent Misbehavior.” Virginia State University. Virginia Cooperative Extension. May 1, 2009. Web.

For many toddlers and adults alike, there’s a special joy that comes from seeing an animal. It’s partly because of the surprise (“Wow, I wasn’t expecting to see a corgi today!”) and partly because pets are usually pretty darn cute. When Baby does see an animal  – either at a friend’s house or out and about – and they isn’t used to interacting with this pet in particular, there are a few things you can remind them to do to make sure the encounter is positive for everyone involved.

Remember to ask first

Pets that Baby knows might be totally friendly, but not all animals are. Before Baby reaches out a hand to stroke a dog or pick up a cat, make sure that they asks the animal’s owner first if it’s okay. The animal might be jumpy, antisocial, or even aggressive – there’s not always a way to tell just by looking. Some animals just get spooked by young children because of their size – it’s nothing personal against your little one!

The animal’s owner can let you know whether their dog (or cat, bird, hamster, etc.) enjoys being pet by new people and if there’s anything Baby should know before petting them. Maybe they especially love being scratched behind their ears or just had flea medicine applied to their fur. It’s always best to ask!

Gentle, gentle

If you have an animal in your home, Baby probably knows exactly how to play with it and what it likes to do. Maybe they knows that your dog loves to be pushed over so it can jump back up or that your cat adores being picked up and snuggled. It’s great that Baby has that knowledge, but it won’t necessarily apply to all other pets, even if they’re the same kind of animal. (And it’s especially true when you meet a different kind of animal – don’t let Baby try to give a cat any belly rubs.) It’s important to be gentle and careful with any new furry (or even scaley) friends, even if Baby is an expert with other animals.

How to spot a working animal

There are some pets that aren’t really pets – they’re workers with jobs and uniforms and everything! When you get the opportunity, try to teach Baby how to spot a working animal so they knows that, unfortunately, there are some animals you just can’t pet. Dogs wearing vests or jackets are likely to be service dogs, police dogs, or even TSA dogs if they’re super fancy. Explain to Baby that these dogs, whose vests likely say DO NOT PET on the side, need to focus on really important jobs and can’t be distracted with pets, hugs, or kisses. But if Baby has any extra energy from not petting those animals, they can feel free to send that love your way – you’re not on the job!

Meeting other people’s pets is a great learning opportunity for Baby. They gets to see how different animals react to different kinds of (always nice!) touch and maybe even meet cool, exotic pets like lizards or chinchillas. As long as you and Baby take your cues from the pet’s owner, you’ll be totally good to go. Unless, of course, this new experience leads you to learn about a new allergy, in which case you’ll be good to go visit your healthcare provider and learn about allergy medication. Isn’t meeting new friends fun? 

Start early

It might seem too soon, especially if Baby isn’t exactly a thrilling conversationalist yet, but the best time to start teaching your little one how to get along with the furriest member of your family is right around the time they starts to show an interest in your furry friend, which can happen when Baby is as young as 6 months old.

If you’re consistent about teaching Baby that pets should only be touched with gentle hands, and not to pull on the ears or tail, pick up, hit, or poke them, even if they doesn’t understand right away, they will grow into it.

Take the lead

Just like Baby probably isn’t going to learn to curse until at least middle school unless you or your partner lets a four-letter word or two drop, one of the biggest influences on Baby’s interactions with your little Fido or Fluffy is going to be the way they sees you acting with your pet. This means it can be helpful to take a little extra care in the way you act around your pet, not because you don’t know how to treat him or her, but because the way you get to act with him or her may be different from the way a curious baby or toddler should. Even if your cat loves it when you pick her up, that doesn’t mean you want Baby getting into the habit, at least not for a few more years.

Narrating why you’re doing what you’re doing with a pet can also be a great way to help Baby start to understand him or her. If your dog isn’t in the mood to socialize, instead of just distracting Baby, talk to them about how the puppy is tired. This helps build the empathy needed to deal with people and pets alike.

Give lots of ways to do it right

Giving Baby good, safe ways to interact with pets gives them both a chance to build a positive relationship. Soft toys that won’t cause harm when Baby goes through a phase of indiscriminate throwing, closely supervised soft petting and brushing, and letting Baby help you feed your pet are great ways to help the two of them build a relationship.

Good fences make good neighbors

Babies and pets aren’t always natural allies, and while they generally can find ways to play well together, the chance to get away from each other can be important as well.

If you have a cat, giving them a high-up perch to retreat to will give him or her somewhere to be out of Baby’s grasp. It also gives your cat a feeling of power and control that he or she might be lacking with the changes having a baby has had on his or her environment. Having the cat go out of reach when Baby does something the cat doesn’t like is also a good way for your child to start to learn the right ways to play with your kitty.

Keeping your child’s room as a no-go area for your pet can be a good idea, too, especially early on. Young children and pets should never be left unsupervised together, and if Spot thinks of Baby’s bedroom as his personal territory, keeping the supervision consistent can get tricky. Additionally, your pet isn’t the only one who can get a bit overwhelmed by too much pet-to-baby interaction. Pets can seem big and scary to babies, especially the ones with high energy levels, and Baby could easily come to a point where too much playing together feels overwhelming.

1. Outlet-covers
   There’s a reason a lot of sources recommend getting switch-covers that cover the entire outlet-plate – the small outlet covers that just plugin can be a choking hazard all on their own if Baby gets curious enough about them to start prying them away.
2. Things from their wardrobe
   Baby looks so cute in that sweater with the old-fashioned-looking buttons, but if they gets a little rough with one of those buttons and pulls it free, that could be a problem.
3. A not-so-lucky penny
   A swallowed coin generally earns Baby a quick trip to see their physician no matter what, because while most coins pass on their own, they can get lodged in their esophagus, and the only way to tell for sure is with an X-ray. And while pennies may be the smallest denomination, they can also cause the largest amount of trouble of any of the coins Baby can get their hands on, as pennies made after 1982 contain a significant amount of zinc, which can cause serious stomach problems.
4. Pet food
   You can hardly blame Baby for being curious – especially when their favorite four-legged family member likes it so much, and it’s right there at their eye level. Pet food is generally pretty harmless, as far as things Baby can put in their mouth go, and after one taste, there’s a good chance Baby won’t be eager to have another. However, some babies actually do decide that the family dog’s favorite food is their favorite, too, so you can’t count on their eventual disinterest. Pet food is not held to the same food safety standards that human food is though, so there is a chance pet food could be harmful, and the larger pieces that some dog foods come in can pose a choking hazard. In addition, some dogs feel threatened when children move in on their food, which can create a dangerous situation.
5. Pen cap
   It may be mightier than the sword, but a sword would probably pose less of a choking hazard. Of course, a sword would pose hazards of its own, too. It’s probably best to keep Baby away from both, at least for a few years.
6. Battery
   If they’re swallowed, batteries can cause internal burns and damage, and children who swallow batteries should be given medical attention as soon as possible.
7. Balloons
   One minute they’re whole, floating, and playful, and the next, they’re a major choking hazard. Latex balloons are considered dangerous to children interested in exploring with their mouths, and mylar balloons are recommended as an alternative.
8. Plants
   That massive fern in your living room may look like it passes the ‘does it fit through a toilet paper tube?’ choking hazard test with ease, but that’s only true for the sum of the parts, before Baby decides to bite down and turn once-large leaves into bite-sized pieces. Additionally, some houseplants are inedible or poisonous if they’re ingested.
9. Debris
   Letting Baby play in your own backyard may seem like the safest thing you can do – until you find out your neighbor has been flicking his cigarette butts over the fence. Trash finds its way into most aspects of modern life, but one place it really shouldn’t find its way into is Baby’s mouth.
10. Plugged in USB and other cords
    Cords connected to power sources can cause serious injuries even if they’re not ingested – because of the fire and shock hazard if chewed on – so should be kept away from children. And most flexible cords like this are made of PVC plastic, which may contain lead. While it’s not clear if the amount of lead that could come off on your hands when handling these sort of cords is enough to pose a health risk, if you have a little one who also likes to put your fingers in their mouth, you may want to make sure to wash your own hands after handling these cords, just in case. 

How to transition your baby to the bathtub

Once Baby outgrows their fun-size bath spot, it’s time to move them to the next step. At some point all parents must start washing Baby in a regular bathtub. And when that time comes, you can make the transition easier for you both by sticking to these baby-centric traditions for the high seas.

Provide a captain’s chair:

Many parents start the baby-bath-to-big-tub switch once their babies are able to sit independently for short periods of time, which might happen around 7 months after birth. But since there’s so much space in a grown-up tub, even the parents of strong sitters sometimes add a baby bath seat to the tub floor. Not only will a bath seat offer Baby plenty of support, it will also keep them from laying down or crawling around in the tub.

All hands on deck!

Baby bath time needs to be supervised at all times, especially when the bathtub itself is designed for adults. Big tubs present some potential hazards such as water level, and on-demand water that can range from icy to scalding. For Baby’s first big-time baths, fill up the tub with no more than 1 to 2 inches of lukewarm water, as any more could frighten them or shock them off-balance from their seated position. And if the temperature is too hot to the touch for you, there’s’ a good chance it is for Baby‘s more sensitive skin, too.

Stick to clear waters:

By the time Baby has comfortably settled into the big tub, you can keep the cleaning routine simple and safe by using only tear-free soaps and shampoos that are specifically designed for infants. This way, when they splashes some bath water around the tub, the odds of getting irritating soap residue in their eyes will be comfortably low.