Just when we thought we were turning a corner with the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory viruses like the flu and RSV are hitting our children hard this year. Now more than ever, parents are turning to medical experts for their advice to help keep kids safe and healthy this winter.
One pediatrician on Instagram — who also happens to be mom to an adorable little one — is sharing the tips she uses to help keep children safe from nasty viruses and illnesses this season, and we're all ears.
Doctors are calling the current crisis a 'tripledemic.'
The tripledemic of respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, COVID-19, and the flu has doctors' offices and hospitals flooded with cases. One New York doctor knows firsthand the fear of having a child come down with one of these illnesses. Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez is the mom of a 14-month-old son and a pediatrician at the renowned Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Her son received hospital treatment for pneumonia earlier this year in the wake of a viral illness he had contracted.
"It was really, really scary," Bracho-Sanchez told Good Morning America about son William's sickness. "So in addition to relating to my patients, of course, as their pediatrician, I am relating in this moment as a mom who has had her own child get sick and develop a complication from a viral illness this season."
Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that flu cases are rising rapidly across the country.
Respiratory illnesses increase dramatically during the winter.
Because people spend more time indoors during the winter — and maintain closer contact, particularly children — airborne viruses tend to spread rapidly. Bracho-Sanchez explained that her son is in a day care setting and that she intends to gather with family this holiday season, but things can change quickly.
Bracho-Sanchez asserts that parents need to vaccinate their kids and stay aware.
First, she recommends that parents and children stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. She explained that she and her son are both vaccinated, and she recommends vaccines to others as well. The CDC has reported that children 6 months and older are eligible for COVID and flu vaccines and that they are available at no cost at most pharmacies and doctor's offices.
She also wants parents to monitor for symptoms of illness. A fever lasting for three or more days, dehydration, and respiratory distress all can be signs of something more serious.
"And any child who had been getting better at home and all of a sudden seems to worsen, the fevers had gone away and now they come back, or they had been perking up a little bit, and all of a sudden, they really seem like they're not acting like themselves, that is a child that needs to be seen as soon as possible," she told GMA.
Even though it is the holidays, big gatherings are probably not a great idea.
Many people hoped that this holiday season would be the first in nearly three years that families could gather together without a care. Bracho-Sanchez doesn't recommend getting too comfortable too quickly, though.
"We want to see family this holiday season. Our family is getting vaccinated, and we're not going to cancel those gatherings," she said. "But perhaps things that are less meaningful to us, we're going to skip this season."
She also said that outings such as playgrounds and outdoor playdates are still a safer bet for kids. Mask-wearing has gone by the wayside recently for many people, but Bracho-Sanchez and her family continue to mask indoors.
"It does no harm and it can actually bring you some protection," she told GMA of mask-wearing in crowded spaces. "Kids over [age] 2 do really, really well with masks if you teach them and if you normalize it for them."
Remember, wearing masks doesn't just protest against COVID; doing that also can be an effective method against a myriad of viral illnesses.
And, of course, she wants us all to use common sense.
We should all know by now that we need to stay home if we feel sick. It is not worth making yourself sicker or infecting others. Anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay home to help mitigate the spread of germs.
"I know so many of us have missed work, have had to cancel other activities when our kids get sick because so many colds are going around," she said, according to GMA. "But as best we can, let's keep them home if they are sick."
And, as always, we must ensure we are washing our hands thoroughly and frequently. If you don't have access to a sink, keep hand sanitizer handy to help disinfect.
Even though she is a physician, Bracho-Sanchez is a parent with the same fears as many of us. "As a mom right now, so much feels out of my control," she said. "But I am trying to prevent the things that I can prevent."
