(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Respiratory viral season is here. Because of common and overlapping symptoms, distinguishing between respiratory illnesses can be confusing for parents and caregivers. Questions about vaccination and the latest guidance about what to do to help prevent spread of respiratory viruses add another layer to the confusion.
Infectious diseases experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital emphasize that distinguishing between viruses can be difficult for anyone, including clinicians. It is important for families to practice healthy habits such as hand washing, cough and sneeze etiquette and staying up to date on seasonal vaccinations. Experts have cited an increase in pneumonia and whooping cough viruses and are anticipating those to continue this respiratory season.
“Every child is different, but we do know that this time of year brings with it a wave of sickness that gets passed around from child to child,” said Jason Newland, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Nationwide Children’s. “We also know that while the majority of these cases will be able to be cared forat home, any of these illnesses can turn severe for some.”
Illnesses like colds and pneumonia caused by viruses like influenza, RSV and COVID-19 and bacteria like Mycoplasma pneumoniae (walking pneumonia) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal disease) during this season can often present with similar symptoms and can impact children in different ways. Some children like those with underlying medical conditions or who are immunocompromised are at greater risk for severe disease.
These common viruses may share similar symptoms such as a sore throat, fatigue, cough or a headache. Viruses such as RSV can present with more severe symptoms including wheezing or shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, especially in infants less than 1 year of age. Symptoms more specific to COVID-19 include loss of taste or smell. Both COVID-19 and influenza can present with sudden onset of fever along with body aches and pain. Bacterial and viral pneumonia can present with a number of symptoms including fever and wheezing, or abnormal sounds in a specific area of the lungs being a distinguishing symptom. With any illness, if a child begins to have difficulty breathing, a high fever or a cough that does not improve after three to five days, experts recommend bringing them to their clinician to be evaluated.
Experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provide the following guidance to parents and caregivers to help protect children from serious illness, prevent virus spread, and determine when to seek care if sick.
Prevention
- Stay up to date on routine and seasonal vaccinations/immunizations such as COVID-19, influenza, RSV for infants or pregnant moms and whooping cough (Pertussis vaccine).
- Practice good hand hygiene by washing for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water. (gov/Clean-Hands)
- Cover the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into elbows, not hands.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces, such as countertops, doorknobs and handrails.
- Choose to wear a mask to add another layer of protection during the winter months.
If Your Child is Sick
- Keep children home if they are sick or presenting a fever or other respiratory symptoms.
- Consult a child’s pediatrician or clinician with any questions or concerns.
- Keep a close eye on children experiencing any symptoms of illnesses.
- Seek care if a child is experiencing:
- High fevers over 101°.
- Continued high fevers over 101° for more than three days without improvement.
- Fast breathing in infants that may present as their nostrils flaring out or the skin between their ribs being sucked in.
Nationwide Children’s urgent care centers can provide timely medical care to treat illnesses that need prompt attention. Find the full list of urgent care locations here: NationwideChildrens.org/Urgent-Care
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 15,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.8 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.