Updated as of December 2022

 

Question:  My child tested positive for COVID-19 

 

What should we do next?

Monitor your child’s symptoms at home.  If your child is feeling sick with cold symptoms, treat it as you would a cold -- with rest and fluids. Children will often be more tired and have a reduced appetite when they are sick; this is expected, and should improve as they recover.  Over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be given to relieve pain if needed. If your child is fully vaccinated, symptoms will more likely remain mild.  If symptoms are worse or worsen or you are concerned, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

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What concerning symptoms should I watch for?

● Trouble breathing or consistently breathing fast (not only from fever)

● Complaints of pain or pressure in their chest

● Continued complaints of severe belly pain (not attributed to constipation)

● Acting confused or not like themselves

● Cannot wake up or stay awake

● Not urinating at least every 8 to 9 hours

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If you have concerns with these symptoms, seek urgent medical attention at a pediatric emergency room or call 911.  For other symptoms that are not of urgent concern, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.

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It was an at-home test - should we retest in the office?

Given current rates in the community , we consider an at home positive result a “true positive” and do not recommend retesting in the office. If there are other concerns and if there is availability, we can run a test at the office. 

 

For how long do they have to isolate?

The CDC recently reduced the isolation period to 5 days if you are asymptomatic or your symptoms are resolving and you are without fever for 24 hours. The period starts from the first day of symptoms or the day of the positive test, if no symptoms.  The isolation period should be followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.

Note:  If your child is below the age of 2 or cannot keep a mask on consistently, we recommend quarantining for the full 10 days.

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Does my child need to be retested?

The CDC does not currently require retesting.  If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation). If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative,  you can end isolation, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.

 

Question:  My child was exposed to COVID-19. 

Should they get tested?  

If your child is symptomatic and you’d like to have her seen by a doctor, call our office to schedule an appointment.  Due to the volume of calls, we are prioritizing symptomatic patients. 

 

For asymptomatic testing, you can use an at home test.  If it is positive you should assume your child has COVID-19 and follow the CDC guidelines for quarantining.   

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Note:  A negative test before day 5 of exposure does not rule out the possibility that your child has COVID-19.  Performing two or more Covid tests over a period of a few days will greatly improve the accuracy of at-home testing.

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How long for exposure quarantine?

For children who have received a COVID-19 /SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccination within the last 6 months, the CDC recommends wearing a mask around others for 10 days and to get a test on day 5, if possible. If symptoms develop, test as soon as possible and stay home.

 

For unvaccinated children and those who have not completed their primary series of vaccination, stay home for 5 days and then continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days

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If at-home rapid testing supplies are available, protocols to allow serial testing to stay in school can be used. This allowance is only applicable to a school setting, not necessarily to other settings.

 

The CDC also recommends testing on day 5 if possible.

 

Question:  Parent has tested positive for COVID-19.  How can I protect my infant?

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Where possible, separate yourself from others in your home. Stay in a different room. Use a separate bathroom if possible. If you share a bathroom, disinfect frequently touched surfaces after each use. 

For breastfeeding mothers, it is still recommended to breastfeed infants with careful hand hygiene rather than isolating and we recommend wearing a well fitting KN95/KF94 mask when nursing.

 

Question:  When can I schedule a sick visit?

We block off part of our schedule every day to accommodate same day sick appointment requests.  Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, our schedule has been filling quickly.  We recommend you call our office starting at 8 am, Monday through Friday, to schedule.

 

Question:  My child requires a clearance test in order to return to school. Can I come in to get one?

Due to overwhelming demand, we do not typically schedule clearance tests in advance.  You can call our office same day and inquire about availability in the schedule.  Click here to find alternative locations.