IF YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD HAS COVID, such as exposure to a family member who tested positive, your child was seen somewhere and tested positive, you did a home test and it was positive, we can evaluate your child if necessary. Please continue reading the guidelines below, however, as most cases in children under 12 years of age do not require medical evaluation.
Kids under 12 years of age:
If you are worried that your child has Covid, realize that virtually all cases in children under 12 are mild and don’t require evaluation or prescription medical care. Please refer to www.CDC.gov for more information.
If you feel your child should be tested, you can do a test at home, or we can do a rapid nasal antigen swab test (not deep nasal, just about one inch into the nose) and get an immediate result. We can also swab the mouth and throat for a send-out PCR test that takes about 2 to 3 days to get back (likely more accurate). All positive results (nasal or oral swabs) are reported to the California Department of Public Health so that they can contact you to assist you in quarantining your family.
You can also elect to not seek testing and simply keep your child at home for 10 days from the onset of symptoms.
If your child has respiratory distress (rapid labored breathing, wheezing, chest retractions, blue color around the mouth, feels like not getting enough air) then you should NOT wait for your phone appointment, and just go to an emergency room as we are not equipped to handle serious Covid emergencies like this.
If your child is acting very ill (high fever, severe flu-like symptoms), but does not have respiratory distress, we can evaluate your child by phone to discuss testing and prescription treatment, and decide during the phone appointment whether or not you should be seen by us in person the following day.
Children 12 years and older:
California law AB 2098 dictates that all physicians must comply with instructions from the California Department of Public Health and the CDC when it comes to Covid information. In compliance with this, if your child is 12 years and older, we adivse you to either go to urgent care, an ER, or call us for an appointment if you think or know your child has Covid. We can test your child and discuss prescription medication to help.
How long is Covid contagious? Generally the same as discussed for colds above. Current policy, however, is that you can return to public after 5 days have passed since symptoms began as long as fever is gone and your symptoms are improving. Waiting a 10 day period is more of a guarantee that you are no longer contagious.
SUPPLEMENTS TO TAKE DURING COVID:
Here is what may be helpful to take when you are sick with Covid and/or are exposed to someone with COVID. Only take this high dosing for 10 days, then you can still take the supplements but at the regular dosing for age. Note: most people believe you should not take echinacea during Covid (something many would normally take during most illnesses), as it might have the potential to increase inflammation.
Zinc 2-6 yr old: 5 mg/day,
7-12 yr old: 10 mg/day
Adults 20 mg/day
Vit D 2-6 yr old: 2000iu/day
7-12 yr old 5000iu/day
Adults 5000iu/day
Vit C 2-6 yr old 250mg 3x/day
7-12 yr old 500mg 3x/day
adults 1000mg 3x/day
I like Sodium Ascorbate version of Vit C – a powder you mix into juice or water.
Quercetin: Follow the dosing on the bottle
NAC: Follow the dosing on the bottle (but it’s generally 1/2 of the vitamin C dose for the above ages 2x/day)
