As the school year gears up and the temperature goes down, students may bring home an illness.
As the school year gears up and the temperature goes down, students may bring home an illness.
“They're all not just sharing crayons and pencils and desks, but they're sharing their germs and they're sitting at lunch tables together,” Chief Medical Officer at Experity Andrea Giamalva, MD, said.
Giamalva said most children fare well with the illnesses you will see most often, like the common cold or strep throat.
"But really, you know your child best, and so keeping an eye on them and noticing if anything's changing, like if their breathing seems different or labored or maybe faster than usual or it seems like they're working hard to breathe,” she said.
She added that if symptoms get a little better but then get worse again, it could be a reason to think it is not a typical illness and that your child needs extra care. She said with illnesses like measles on the rise, it is important to watch out for those symptoms, too.
"Certainly, any symptoms of respiratory illness with a rash would be a very important indication to be seen,” she said.
And if you suspect the flu or COVID-19, Giamalva said it is best to get checked out early.
“Because you need to be seen within about three days to take the flu antiviral and about five days to take the COVID antiviral, both of which those medicines will help to decrease the length of your illness, and the severity of your illness and the chances of spreading it to others,” she said.
Giamalva said to remind your student to wash their hands, cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing and keep your child home if they are sick.
