Patient education: COVID-19 in children – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is COVID-19? — COVID-19 stands for "coronavirus disease 2019." It is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2.

The virus that causes COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person. This usually happens when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks near other people. The virus is passed through tiny particles from the infected person's lungs and airway. These particles can easily travel through the air to other people who are nearby. In some cases, like in indoor spaces where the same air keeps being blown around, the virus in the particles might be able to spread to other people who are farther away.

A person can be infected, and spread the virus to others, even without having any symptoms.

How do I care for my child at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your child. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Encourage your child to rest.

●Follow the doctor's instructions for giving your child medicines, if the doctor prescribed any.

●Offer your child lots of water, juice, or broth to replace fluids lost from a fever.

●Give your child medicines to reduce fever if needed, like acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Read the labels so you give the correct dose based on the child's weight and age. Never give aspirin to any child younger than 18 years old. In children, aspirin can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome.

●Use a cool mist humidifier in your child's room.

●Lower the chance of spreading the infection to others:

•Keep your child home while they recover. Only take them out if they need medical care.

•At home, try to keep the child in a separate room, away from other people and animals. This is called "self-isolation."

•For children who are too young to self-isolate, it's still important to try to keep them apart from others in the house as much as possible. If you need to care for a sick child, you can protect yourself by wearing a mask and washing your hands often.

•Continue self-isolation until your child's doctor or nurse tells you that it is OK to stop. After self-isolating for 5 days, children age 2 years and older should wear a mask around all other people for at least 5 more days.

•Wash your hands and your child's hands often (figure 1).

•Do not let the child share personal items with other people in the household.

If your child has not already been vaccinated, consider doing so as soon as they have recovered. Being vaccinated is the best way to protect your child and others.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if your child:

●Has trouble breathing

●Has pain or pressure in their chest

●Has blue lips or a blue face

●Has severe belly pain

●Acts confused or not like themselves

●Is not able to drink or keep down any liquids

●Cannot wake up or stay awake

Call the doctor if your child:

●Becomes weak or dizzy

●Has very dark urine, or does not urinate for more than 8 hours

●Has new or worsening symptoms that concern you – COVID-19 symptoms can be similar to a cold and include fever, cough, feeling tired, shaking, chills, headache, stuffy nose, and sore throat. They can also include digestive problems like vomiting or diarrhea. Some people also get rashes or other skin symptoms.

More on this topic

Patient education: COVID-19 and children (The Basics)
Patient education: COVID-19 overview (The Basics)
Patient education: COVID-19 vaccines (The Basics)
Patient education: Long COVID (The Basics)