Experts warn against respiratory infections in children due to the decrease in air temperatures and the increase in time spent in closed environments.
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. from Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Deniz Aygün and Biruni University Hospital Chief Physician, Child Health and Diseases Specialist. Dr. Abdullah Sert also stated that there is an increase in Covid and other respiratory infections in children. Experts stated that families bring their children to hospitals with complaints such as fever, sore throat and runny nose, and said that sick children should be isolated at home for a while. He warned against taking medication or food supplements without a doctor’s recommendation.
“THERE IS AN INCREASE IN EMERGENCY SERVICE APPLICATIONS”
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. stated that they generally expect an increase as the weather gets colder. Dr. Deniz Aygün said, “As we enter the autumn and winter seasons and the opening of schools, there is an increase in emergency room applications as expected in children, especially for respiratory viruses. Symptoms include fever, cough, weakness, malaise, sometimes discharge from the eyes, runny nose, but even though the viruses are respiratory viruses, they can also present with symptoms such as diarrhea with systemic involvement.
We are seeing Covid cases, but not just Covid, we have some respiratory viruses that we expect this season; rhinovirus, influenza. We do not have as many Covid-19 cases as the pandemic, but we have recently observed an increase in Covid positivity in patients presenting with the existing complaints I have listed. Apart from Covid-19, we also expect an increase in the influenza virus with the arrival of the season. We have an influenza vaccine, we think we can overcome the cases by taking general respiratory precautions.
We do not specifically recommend any food supplements. It would be appropriate for the child to have a balanced, healthy diet, take the foods that should be in the normal nutrition pyramid, and eat appropriate seasonal nutrition. First of all, my advice to families as a pediatric infectious disease specialist and pediatrician is; They comply with our national vaccination calendar. “Sick children should not be sent to school or they should stay away from sick people and crowded environments,” he said.
“WE ARE SEEING THAT COVID INTENSITY AND POSITIVITY RATE ARE INCREASING FOR 2-3 WEEKS”
Child Health and Diseases Specialist said that being together in crowded environments has an impact on cases. Dr. Abdullah Sert said, “With the start of school, we see an increase in the frequency of all kinds of viral and bacterial infections, as children are now together in crowded environments. Covid has become a more feared virus because it has recently caused a pandemic. However, as the pandemic has lost its effect, it has turned into a flu infection like other viruses. Everything starts with a high fever; high fever usually indicates the beginning of an infection.
This could be a viral infection or a bacterial infection. We recommend that families consult a pediatrician if they have a fever that is persistent, persistent, and impairs the child’s general condition. In terms of contagion, we can say that contagion increases in children because they are constantly together in rude environments and schools. In such cases, if a child has a fever, it is extremely important not to send him to school until the fever goes away or until he is examined by a physician, in order to reduce contagion. “We have already seen that the density and positivity rate of Covid in children has increased in the last 2-3 weeks,” he said.