Covid-19

At Kids 1st Urgent Care, we approach the treatment of COVID-19 in children with the highest levels of compassion, understanding, and expertise. We recognize that dealing with a COVID-19 diagnosis can be a stressful and emotional experience for families. Our goal is to provide exceptional care while adhering to the best practices and clinical pathways established by leading institutions. Our approach ensures that your child receives personalized, effective treatment while you receive the support and reassurance you need during this challenging time.

What is COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?

COVID-19, or coronavirus disease 2019, is an illness caused by a novel coronavirus that spreads from person to person. This virus, known as SARS-CoV-2, emerged globally and can cause a range of symptoms from mild to severe.

What Are Coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses that typically infect animals, such as camels, cats, and bats. Some coronaviruses can evolve to infect humans. While most human coronaviruses cause mild illnesses like the common cold, certain strains, including the one responsible for COVID-19, can lead to more severe diseases.

How Coronaviruses Spread

Coronaviruses, including the one causing COVID-19, spread through:

• Respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking
• Close personal contact, such as hugging or shaking hands
• Contact with surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus, followed by touching the face

COVID-19 Signs and Symptoms

COVID-19 symptoms can vary widely and include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, with an average onset around 5 to 6 days. Symptoms may overlap with other illnesses, such as the common cold, making diagnosis challenging.

Additional Considerations

• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): A serious condition that can develop in children a few weeks after COVID-19. Symptoms may include fever lasting over three days, bloodshot eyes, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. MIS-C is a delayed immune response causing inflammation and can damage organs. Vaccination is effective in reducing the risk of MIS-C.
• Other Rare Complications: Severe but less common complications include myocarditis (heart inflammation), stroke, encephalitis (brain inflammation), diabetes, and long-term effects known as "long-haul" COVID-19.

How to Protect Your Child from COVID-19

To reduce the risk of infection:

• Hand Hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid Exposure: Stay away from crowded places and individuals showing symptoms of COVID-19.
• Face Masks: Consider wearing masks in high-risk areas, particularly if COVID-19 cases are prevalent in your community.
• Respiratory Etiquette: Teach your child to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or elbows, and dispose of tissues properly.
• Avoid Touching Face: Instruct your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Vaccination: Discuss with your pediatrician about getting your child vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 Treatments

Most children will recover from COVID-19 without antiviral medications. However, there are FDA-authorized treatments for certain cases.

Long-Term Outlook

As COVID-19 is a relatively new virus, ongoing research aims to enhance treatments and vaccines. Continued studies will help provide clearer guidance on long-term outcomes and management strategies.

Encouraging COVID-19 Testing to Protect Vulnerable Populations

At Kids 1st Urgent Care, we emphasize the importance of COVID-19 testing not just for diagnosing and managing illness, but also as a critical step in preventing the spread of this virus to vulnerable populations. Here’s how we approach testing and why it’s essential:

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

• Preventing Spread: COVID-19 can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, individuals with underlying health conditions, and those with compromised immune systems. By identifying and isolating cases early, we help prevent transmission to these high-risk groups.
• Community Safety: Encouraging testing helps in curbing the spread of COVID-19 within communities, protecting everyone, especially those at greater risk of severe outcomes from the virus.

Early Detection and Intervention

• Timely Testing: We recommend COVID-19 testing for children who exhibit symptoms of the virus, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, as well as for those who have been exposed to a confirmed case. Early detection allows for prompt intervention and reduces the risk of further spread.
• Asymptomatic Cases: Testing is also crucial for detecting asymptomatic cases. Individuals who do not show symptoms can still spread the virus, so testing helps identify these cases and implement preventive measures.

Comprehensive Testing Services

• Convenient Testing: We offer convenient and accessible testing options to make it easier for families to get their children tested. This includes on-site testing (in the home) or through a Respiratory Pathogen Panel, which in addition to COVID-19, will test for an additional 14 pathogens; just in case COVID-19 is not the cause of the illness.
• Results and Guidance: After testing, we provide clear and timely results. Our team offers guidance on "next steps" based on test outcomes, including isolation protocols and further care recommendations.

Educating Families

• Understanding Testing: We educate families about the importance of testing, how it helps in controlling the virus, and what to expect during and after the testing process.
• Preventive Measures: We also provide information on preventive measures, including proper hygiene, social distancing, and wearing masks, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Supporting Public Health Efforts

• ‍Collaborating with Health Authorities: We align with public health guidelines and collaborate with local health authorities to ensure our testing practices support broader efforts to manage and control COVID-19.
• Promoting Safe Practices: By encouraging and facilitating testing, we contribute to the overall public health strategy aimed at reducing the incidence of COVID-19 and mitigating its impact on communities.

At Kids 1st Urgent Care, we are dedicated to safeguarding the health of your child and the wider community. Encouraging COVID-19 testing is a vital part of our commitment to preventing the spread of this illness and protecting those most at risk. We provide comprehensive support and resources to make testing accessible and effective, ensuring that we all play our part in keeping our communities safe.

Child-Friendly Environment

Understanding that medical treatments can be stressful for children, all of our providers have been trained by our Child Life Specialists on how to approach your child in a friendly and compassionate manner. We strive to make the experience as stress-free as possible, with a child-centered environment and a caring staff that helps ease any anxiety.

Kids 1st Urgent Care sources its medical research from leading authorities in pediatric medicine, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Texas Children’s Hospital.