Articles
COVID-19 in babies and children
Why do children react differently to COVID-19?
Is there a COVID-19 vaccine for children?
Children's COVID-19 symptoms
If children don’t frequently experience severe illness with COVID-19, why do they need a COVID-19 vaccine?
COVID-19 prevention tips
Content
How likely is it for a child to become sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
How are babies affected by COVID-19?
What are the symptoms of COVID-19 in children?
Breathing trouble
Testing for COVID-19
What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?
Can children who get COVID-19 experience long-term effects?
What COVID-19 vaccines are available to kids in the U.S.?
What can I do to prevent my child from getting COVID-19?
Is there a COVID-19 vaccine for children?
Children's COVID-19 symptoms
If children don’t frequently experience severe illness with COVID-19, why do they need a COVID-19 vaccine?
COVID-19 prevention tips
Content
How likely is it for a child to become sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
How are babies affected by COVID-19?
What are the symptoms of COVID-19 in children?
Breathing trouble
Testing for COVID-19
What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?
Can children who get COVID-19 experience long-term effects?
What COVID-19 vaccines are available to kids in the U.S.?
What can I do to prevent my child from getting COVID-19?
Breathing trouble
Get emergency help right away if your child is working hard to breathe. Symptoms of breathing trouble include grunting, flaring the nostrils, or having the chest pull at the collarbone and rib with a breath. Other symptoms of trouble breathing are shortness of breath at rest; rapid breathing; or wheezy, noisy or raspy breathing. In babies, this may show as not being able to cry or feed.
Get emergency help for other symptoms of serious illness, such as:
- Fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in a child younger than 3 months old.
- Problems swallowing, for example, drooling in children younger than age 3 and in older children, not being able to swallow or open the mouth fully.
- Skin, lips or nail beds that are gray or blue.
- New confusion.
- Trouble staying awake or waking up.
- Chest pain or pressure that is constant.
- Vomiting or diarrhea that doesn't stop.
- Dehydration, which in babies younger than 3 month means fewer than three wet diapers in 24 hours.
This list doesn't include every emergency symptom. If the child you're taking care of has symptoms that worry you, get help. Let the healthcare team know about a positive test for COVID-19 or symptoms of the illness.
