By Chantalé Fletcher
CHILDREN who have been infected with Omicron strain of the Covid-19 virus experience a different set of symptoms every two days
Symptoms include approximately:
- Two days of fever, runny nose, congestion, sore throat;
- Two days where symptoms have settled fairly with less fever; and
- Two days of Gastroenteritis symptoms such as cramping, abdominal pains, diarrhea, nausea and loss of appetite.
At the Ministry of Health virtual press conference on Wednesday, Emergency Medicine Specialist Paediatric Emergency Department at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Dr Joanne Paul said the symptoms may last about five to six days.
However, she encouraged parents to maintain their Covid-19 kits at home which should include:
- Ibuprofen;
- Paracetamol;
- Saline nose drops;
- Gesol;
- Pedialyte or watered-down coconut water or Gatorade;
- Humidifier or vaporizer; and
- Vitamin C, probiotic (small baby dose).
Dr Paul added Omicron may also cause wheezing so parents should have a salbutamol inhaler and spacer at home.
In addition, she said if the child was less than two years and they have diarrhoea the best thing would be the mother’s breast milk.
Dr Paul said children usually recover fully from the symptoms as it was self-limiting, however, the cut-off point for fever was no more than five days.
She said 22 persons were admitted to the Couva hospital in March and 27 children for April which were related to incidental Covid-19.
Increase in viral illness
Dr Paul also warned of the increase in viral illnesses caused by the coxsackievirus such as the Hand-foot-and-mouth disease where children produced ulcers in their hands, foot and mouth.
It also included an increase in Chicken Pox which was highly contagious and febrile convulsions which occurred in children with fevers.
New Hepatitis Mystery
She also added the World Health Organization (WHO) as of April 21, sent an advisory on the new Hepatitis.
Dr Paul said the signs were jaundice, dark urine, itchy skin, pale stool lethargic abdominal pain and loss of appetite.
She added that as of Tuesday, WHO confirmed 200 children were diagnosed with the new Hepatitis, while 17 has since received liver transplants and one child has died.
Dr Paul said, “The majority of cases were found in the United Kingdom, some in Europe and some in the United States but not in the Caribbean.
“And as of yesterday, there has been no cases in Trinidad and Tobago.”
She added it was usually found in children less than five years old with a few above 10.
Dr Paul cautioned the newborn phase in children who get jaundice should not be confused with jaundice associated with the new Hepatitis.
However, she said if a child has jaundice after the newborn phase with abdominal pain, and loss of appetite, then seek a liver function test at the health facility.
Dr Paul added the tests would examine the liver enzymes which WHO has indicated to examine results over 500 ALT.
She said the cause has yet to be discovered however, medical professionals have been looking at the Adinovirus type (41F) as a possible cause, or a previous infected Covid-19 person to the new Hepatitis, but a definite cause was yet to be determined.
