Children often get sick at the beginning of school or new group activity. Identifying their symptoms and evaluating if they should be tested for COVID-19 is key to minimizing the spread of the virus and also helps identify when they can safely return to school.

COVID-19 Symptoms

• Covid symptoms in kids are divided into high risk:
  • Fever over 100.4
  • Persistent cough or shortness of breath
  • Loss of sense of smell (this is considered diagnostic for Covid regardless of testing)

  And low risk:

  • Runny nose or sore throat not consistent with allergies
  • Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
  • Unusual fatigue
  • New or atypical headaches
  • Diffuse muscle aches

If these symptoms occur, keep your child isolated at home.  If your child has symptoms that resolve in under 24 hours, she/he can return to school without testing. If your child has only low risk symptoms which resolve in less than 48 hours, she/he can return to school without testing.

If your child’s symptoms do not resolve as above, contact your provider.  We will discuss a visit to look for another diagnosis versus testing for Covid without a visit.  If another source of symptoms is not found, they should be tested for SARS-CoV 2.  If you prefer to go straight for testing, this can be self-scheduled.  If no alternative diagnosis is found, kids need to have a negative Covid test AND resolved symptoms before returning to school.

If your child has loss of sense of taste or smell, they are presumed to have Covid-19 and should isolate at home for 10 days.  They can return after 10 days if they have been fever-free for 24 hours.  You may choose to have them tested, but a negative test will not change the need for isolation. For information on how to isolate at home view this post.