What to do if your child has COVID-19 or symptoms?

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 - 16:27

A child who tests positive for COVID-19 and/or has symptoms of COVID-19 like a cough, fever, sore throat or runny nose does not necessarily have to visit the emergency department.

If your child has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19, keep them at home and make sure that they are drinking fluids. If they have fever, you can give them fever-reducing medications (acetaminophen or ibuprofen) to make them feel more comfortable.

A visit to the emergency department is necessary if your child develops symptoms that cannot be managed at home like:

  • difficulty breathing (breathing irregularly or more quickly than usual, working hard to breathe, pale skin or whiteish or blue lips)
  • chest pain
  • inability to tolerate fluids
  • extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking up
  • signs of dehydration (no tears, very dry mouth, more sleepy than usual, no urine for more than 8 hours)

The Montreal Children’s Hospital’s emergency department (ED) is there for you when your child is very sick and in need of urgent medical treatment. But it’s hard to provide the best possible care when families come to the ED for reasons that are less urgent. We are asking for your help to ensure that the ED remains available for urgent treatment of children whose condition must be addressed immediately.

Thank you for your collaboration.