BENGALURU: The next and third Covid wave will be more dangerous for children, warned Motherhood Hospitals, while issuing an advisory against rising infections among children.Already, in the present second wave, more children are testing positive and are being hospitalised with different variants and double mutants, which are highly contagious, infecting those in the age group of 0-16, it said. Parents must be cautious and not let their guard down, it said.
“Since the newborns too are vulnerable, breastfeeding is highly recommended as it builds baby’s immunity. It is also advisable for parents to strictly follow the vaccination schedule of their babies and not miss any doses, as this will shield the baby from infections and therefore a very crucial element in preventing the Covid infection,” said Dr Santosh Kumar, Consultant Neonatologist and Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospitals.
The common symptoms seen in children are spike in fever, gastroenteritis symptoms and respiratory issues. Dr Kumar said that most people are not following Covid-appropriate behaviour and once they contract the virus, they pass it on to their children.Some of these kids could be asymptomatic, spreading the infection among their grandparents, who are in the high-risk group. The children are more susceptible as there is no vaccination available yet for those in the age group of 0-10, he added.