The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares preventative measures that can be taken to keep your keiki safe, and what cautionary signs to watch for with kids who may have caught COVID-19.
Steps to protect children from getting sick
- Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Avoid people who are sick (coughing and sneezing)
- Practice social distancing
- Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily
- Wash laundry
Children do not need face masks, only people with symptoms.
Children infected with COVID 19 will show mild symptoms such as fever, running nose, and cough. Some cases reported vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. If your child shows any sign of illness consistent with symptoms of COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider and keep your child at home away from others.
While children are not in school and learning from home, here’s how parents can get involved to help their children’s education.
- Stay in contact with your child’s school
- Create a schedule and routine for learning at home
- Consider you child’s needs and adjustments to the transition
- Make learning fun
Remember to keep your kids healthy both mentally and socially as the transition to staying home can cause stress, loneliness, sadness, and unhealthy eating or sleeping habits. Have your child stay active whether it’s playing indoors or outdoors, and have your child stay socially connected with family and friends via phone or video chat.
For more information and guidelines, visit CDC – Caring for Children
By Allan Salvador
Ka Lā staff writer
