Protecting your baby from COVID-19

COVID-19‌ ‌has‌ ‌impacted‌ people of all ages ‌across‌ ‌the‌ ‌globe.‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌natural‌ ‌for ‌new‌ ‌or‌ ‌expecting‌ ‌parents‌ ‌to be ‌concerned‌ ‌about‌ ‌their‌ ‌babies‌ ‌being‌ ‌affected‌ ‌by‌ ‌the ‌global‌ ‌pandemic.‌ ‌

To‌ ‌keep‌ ‌your‌ ‌children‌ ‌healthy‌ ‌and‌ ‌protect‌ ‌them‌ ‌from‌ ‌contracting‌ ‌the‌ ‌virus,‌ ‌it is vital to ‌follow‌ ‌ preventive‌ ‌measures‌ ‌strictly.‌ ‌Due‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌introduction‌ ‌of‌ ‌several‌ ‌mutations‌ ‌of‌ ‌coronavirus,‌ ‌the‌ ‌ research‌ ‌on‌ ‌its‌ ‌symptoms‌ ‌and‌ ‌impact‌ ‌on‌ ‌babies‌ ‌is‌ ‌still‌ ‌being‌ ‌conducted.‌ ‌

‌This‌ ‌article‌ ‌discusses‌ ‌the‌ ‌protective‌ ‌measures‌ ‌parents‌ ‌must‌ ‌follow‌ ‌to‌ ‌keep‌ ‌their‌ ‌babies,‌ ‌infants‌ , ‌and‌ ‌toddlers‌ ‌safe‌ ‌from‌ COVID-19‌.

Symptoms‌ ‌of‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌in‌ ‌babies‌ ‌

Coronavirus‌ ‌spreads‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌respiratory‌ ‌droplets‌ ‌released by an‌ ‌infected‌ ‌person‌ ‌in‌ ‌the air‌ ‌‌through‌ ‌coughing‌ ‌or‌ ‌sneezing.‌ ‌Physical‌ ‌contact‌ ‌of‌ ‌children‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌surface‌ ‌or‌ ‌object‌ ‌contaminated‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ virus‌ ‌can‌ ‌also‌ result in ‌transmission.‌

The‌ ‌symptoms‌ ‌of‌ ‌this‌ ‌contagious‌ ‌virus‌ ‌are‌ ‌mostly‌ ‌mild‌ ‌in‌ ‌babies.‌ ‌The‌ ‌commonly‌ ‌found‌ ‌symptoms‌ ‌ include‌:

  • High‌ ‌fever‌ ‌
  • Coughing‌ ‌and‌ ‌Sneezing‌ ‌
  • Difficulty‌ ‌breathing‌ ‌
  • Headache‌ ‌
  • Congestion,‌ ‌runny‌ ‌nose‌ , ‌or ‌sore‌ ‌throat‌ ‌
  • Diarrhea‌ ‌

Why‌ ‌do‌ ‌Babies‌ ‌React‌ ‌Differently‌ ‌to‌ ‌COVID-19?‌ ‌

According‌ ‌to‌ ‌experts,‌ ‌children‌ ‌often‌ ‌suffer‌ ‌from‌ ‌cold‌ ‌or‌ ‌flu‌ ‌making‌ ‌them‌ ‌immune‌ ‌to‌ ‌illnesses‌ ‌such‌ as‌ ‌a‌ ‌common‌ ‌cold.‌ ‌The‌ ‌immune‌ ‌system‌ ‌of‌ ‌children‌ ‌interacts‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌virus‌ ‌differently‌ ‌than‌ ‌adults‌ ‌ making‌ ‌it‌ ‌less‌ ‌harmful.‌ ‌

Ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌protect‌ ‌your‌ child‌ ‌from‌ ‌Coronavirus ‌

The‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌babies‌ ‌contracting‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌is‌ ‌relatively‌ ‌less‌ ‌than‌ ‌adults.‌ ‌Around‌ ‌6%‌ ‌of children‌ suffered‌ ‌from‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌and‌ ‌only‌ ‌a‌ ‌few‌ ‌among‌ ‌them‌ ‌had‌ ‌severe‌ ‌illness.‌ ‌ ‌

However,‌ ‌intensive‌ ‌care‌ ‌and‌ ‌preventive‌ ‌measures‌ ‌must‌ ‌be‌ ‌observed‌ ‌to‌ minimize ‌the‌ ‌exposure‌ ‌of‌ ‌ your‌ ‌little‌ ‌ones‌ ‌to‌ ‌infected‌ ‌people‌ ‌or possible infected surfaces.‌ ‌The‌ ‌following‌ ‌precautions‌ ‌have‌ ‌proven‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ helpful‌ ‌for‌ ‌that‌ ‌purpose.‌ ‌

General‌ ‌precautions‌ ‌

The‌ ‌precautions‌ ‌parents‌ ‌and‌ ‌family‌ ‌members‌ ‌must‌ ‌follow‌ ‌to‌ ‌ensure‌ ‌that‌ ‌their‌ ‌babies‌ ‌remain‌ ‌ unaffected‌ ‌by‌ COVID-19‌ are:

Avoid‌ putting‌ ‌on a face‌ shield‌

Children yonder than 2 years of age must not wear face shields or masks. It increases the risks of SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome). Babies often move around and a face shield can block their nose or mouth and cause strangulation.

Limit‌ ‌Visitors‌ and Practice Social Distancing

The arrival of a newborn brings together a family to celebrate the birth. But gatherings accelerate the risk of exposing yourself or your baby to people who have contracted coronavirus already. You must avoid bringing in people who don’t live with you.

Covid-19 patients can be asymptomatic as well, so you must prefer celebrating virtually. In case anyone visits, they must wear a mask, wash their hands and stay at a distance of 6 feet from you and the baby.

Be‌ ‌aware‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ possible‌ COVID-19‌ symptoms‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ babies‌

Premature babies or the ones with chronic medical conditions are more vulnerable to covid-19. You must be well-aware of the symptoms of this virus so that quick action be taken if your baby is at risk of getting infected.

Visit‌ ‌your‌ baby’s‌ healthcare‌ provider‌ regularly‌ ‌

You must visit your baby’s healthcare provider regularly on scheduled dates. It is essential to ensure the baby is doing well and doesn’t have any possible covid-19 symptoms.

Ensure‌ safe‌ ‌sleep‌‌

The global pandemic has affected the mental health of everyone around the world. Most parents feel anxious and stressed during the current situation. However, you must make sure that your baby gets a sound and peaceful sleep.

A few tips for prevention of SIDS or other sleep-related issues include:

  • Place your baby on his back or neck
  • The sleeping surface must be firm and flat
  • Bedding must be soft
  • Avoid overheating the room
  • Avoid smoking around your child
  • Maintain‌ ‌Social‌ ‌and‌ Emotional ‌Health‌ ‌

    You must stay optimistic during these difficult times by consulting your healthcare provider and learning ways to cope with anxiety. Stay in touch with friends and family and try to lift each other during this pandemic.

    Instructions‌ ‌for‌ ‌Mother‌ Suffering from ‌COVID-19 ‌

    The chances of coronavirus transmission from a mother to a newborn child are low. If you are covid positive, you must follow the below mentioned precautionary measures during the isolation period:

    • Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. If water is not available use an alcohol-containing sanitizer
  • Wear a mask when you are near your child
  • Keep your baby 6 feet away from you
  • The newborn can be placed in an incubator if your pediatrician recommends it
  • Tips‌ ‌for‌ ‌Infected Breastfeeding‌ ‌Mothers‌ ‌

    Breast milk is a rich source of nutrition for newborns and protects them against diseases. Breastfeeding mothers suffering from covid-19 have to be extremely cautious while feeding their babies. Useful tips include:

    • Wash your hands with soap before breastfeeding
  • Wear a mask before feeding your child
  • If you provide breast milk, you must use your pump only. Wash your hands thoroughly before touching the bottle or pump and clean it properly after use. You should wear a mask during the process.
  • Isolation Period for Covid-19 Infected Mothers

    The isolation period details for covid positive mothers are listed below:

    For symptomatic mothers

    • 24 hours of no fever without taking medications
  • 10 days after initial symptoms appeared
  • For asymptomatic mothers

    • 10 days after your corona test came out positive

    Can‌ COVID-19 affect‌ ‌unborn‌ ‌babies?‌ ‌

    According‌ ‌to‌ ‌studies,‌ ‌vertical‌ ‌transmission‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌was‌ ‌not‌ ‌observed‌ ‌among‌ ‌newborns.‌ ‌

    However,‌ ‌the‌ ‌transmission‌ ‌of‌ antibodies‌ ‌from‌ ‌infected‌ ‌mothers‌ ‌to‌ ‌newborns‌ ‌was‌ ‌noticed.‌ ‌ ‌

    Final‌ ‌Thoughts‌ ‌

    The coronavirus wave has taken over the whole world. It’s extremely important to protect your babies from exposure to covid-19 by following a few easy and simple precautionary measures. If mothers or family members of newborns, infants, or toddlers contract coronavirus, they must wear a mask and wash their hands frequently to ensure the physical well-being of their babies.

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