Signs & Symptoms

What should I do if my child has symptoms?

If your child has any of the symptoms:

• Do your best to stay calm.

• Talk to a health care provider.

• Help your child get plenty of rest and drink lots of liquids.

• Watch for signs that your child might need more medical help.

• Take your child to the Emergency Room if your child:

  • looks very sick to you

  • has significant breathing problems; look for muscles pulling in between the ribs or the nostrils puffing out with each breath

  • is confused or very sleepy

  • has chest pain

  • has cold, sweaty, pale, or blotchy skin

  • is dizzy

• Call 911 if your child is struggling to breathe, is too out of breath to talk or walk, turns blue, or has fainted.

How can I keep my family safe if my child has symptoms?

• Keep your child home. This keeps your child away from other germs. It also helps prevent your child from spreading the illness to others. If the doctor thinks your child might have coronavirus, the whole family will need to stay home.

• Keep other people and pets in the house away from your child as much as possible.

• Try to have one person only care for the sick child so others are not exposed.

• If possible, have your sick child use a different bathroom from others. If that isn't possible, wipe down the bathroom often.

• Everyone in your family should wash their hands well and often. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Use regular household cleaners or wipes to clean things that get touched a lot (doorknobs, light switches, toys, remote controls, phones, etc.). Do this every day.